WEKLY ONLINE

Taylor Swift's Studio Tweet: Singer Hits Lab After Harry Styles Break Up

2013-01-11T06:00:00.003-10:00

In a tweet heard around the worlds of teens, pop music fans and gossip mongers, Taylor Swift announced that she was indeed back in the studio. Swift, who put out her massively successful album "Red" in October, doesn't really have any business recording new material. Except for the fact that she's once again newly single.
The 23-year-old is known for lacing her lyrics with digs at her ex-boyfriends, most of whom are quite famous. To date, the singer reportedly counts John Mayer (who's 35), Jake Gyllenhaal (32), Joe Jonas, Cory Monteith, Toby Hemingway, Zac Efron, Eddie Redmayne, Conner Kennedy, Taylor Lautner and a veritable coterie of other actors and musicians among her former lovers. She's dated so many famous blokes that the boys in The Wanted have suggested she might want to just take a break.
It follows, then, that Swift is just letting everyone know she's in the studio writing about her breakup with One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles. Don't worry about Styles, though: He's headed off on a buddy trip with newly outed weed aficionado Justin Bieber. World, carry on.

Brad Paisley Performs an Ode to Honey Boo Boo

2013-01-11T05:56:00.002-10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=11Uq3iGESYM

Justin Bieber Sued by Former Bodyguard for Assault, Unpaid Wages and More

2013-01-11T05:53:00.003-10:00

Ben Rose, Getty Images for Jingle Ball 2012 LOS ANGELES (AP) - A former bodyguard for Justin Bieber sued the pop superstar Thursday seeking more than $420,000 in overtime and other wages and claims he was repeatedly struck by the singer during an October confrontation.

Moshe Benabou's lawsuit claims Bieber berated him and repeatedly punched him in the chest after a disagreement about how to handle a member of the Grammy-nominated singer's entourage. After he walked away, Bieber fired him, Benabou's lawsuit claims.

Benabou claims he was mistakenly told that he wasn't entitled to receive overtime despite working 14 to 18 hour days between March 2011 and October 2012.

An email message sent to Bieber's publicist was not immediately returned.

Benabou is seeking unspecified damages on the assault and battery claims and $421,261 in unpaid overtime, vacation and other wage benefits.

"For nearly two years Mr. Benabou devoted himself completely to ensuring Mr. Bieber's personal safety," Benabou's attorney, Ilan Heimanson, wrote in a statement. "Mr. Benabou deserved, as does any employee, to be treated with respect, dignity and in accordance with the law. Unfortunately, he was not. "

Bieber's album Believe ranked No. 6 in 2012 sales with more than 1.3 million units sold.

2012 Novitec Rosso Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

2013-01-09T01:42:00.002-10:00

With the release of the 2012 Novitec Rosso Ferrari F12 Berlinetta the Italian automotive manufacturer introduces its next generation of sports cars re-tuned.
The first batch of the F12 Berlinetta has reached their customers with improvements and a more powerful engine than the stock edition. If its power and style you're looking for, this is a car worth taking a second look at.

Specifications

General Info
Vehicle Type: Super Sport Coupe	Est. Market Price: NA
Fuel Tank Capacity: 24.3 gal (92 l)	MPG: NA

Dimensions
Length: 181.8 in. (461.8 cm)	Wheelbase: 107.1 in. (272 cm)
Height: 50.1 in. (127.3 cm)	Width: 76.5 in. (194.2 cm)
Luggage Capacity: NA	Maximum Seating: 2

Performance
Engine: V12 DOHC	Displacement: 6.3 Liter
Horsepower: 763 HP	Max RPM: 8500 rpm
Torque: 519 lb-ft @ 6300 rpm	Transmission: 7-Speed F1 dual clutch
0-60 mph: NA	Top Speed: 214 mph (344 km/h)

Engine
The F12 Berlinetta is powered by a 6.3 liter V12 engine producing 763 HP at 8500 RPM that allows it to reach 214 MPH. This performance gain was possible due to a newly calibrated injection and an ignition boost.
The added HP is gained by adjusting the calibrations on the engine, not by changing anything to it. Similar to the California, 458 Italia and the FF model, the Berlinetta uses a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Performance
Ferrari introduced their new high-tech wheels which are now the lightest of its kind in the world. This caused the Berlinetta to behave a bit more agile when compared with the previous model. At the same time, the increased downforce adds more stability at high speeds and under steering is no longer an issue as in early models.
Exterior
The exterior design of this version of the F12 Berlinetta is almost the same as the stock version. Novitec changed the front and back tire size to 21 and respectively 22 inch. Other than the tires, the Novitec version did not receive any visual improvements. The main focus was the improvement of performance and handling.
Interior
The Novitec Rosso's F12 Berlinetta did not receive any changes in its interior. It comes with the same carbon fiber and leather interior options
At first glance, the 2012 Novitec Rosso Ferrari F12 Berlinetta resembles the 599 series. A few subtle design and performance tweaks allow it to stand out. The new car from the Italian manufacturer and Stuttgart based tuning company Novitec Rosso has given this offering higher horse power output, improved handling an improved reliability during tight corners.

2013 Rolls-Royce One Thousand and One Nights Ghost Collection

2013-01-09T01:41:00.004-10:00

Rolls-Royce started the production of a limited edition version of their Ghost series. Specially designed for its Middle Eastern customers, the version is now publicly known as the 2013 Rolls-Royce One Thousand and One Nights Ghost Collection.
The manufacturer mentioned that this limited edition will be part of a trilogy, two more using related a related theme will be released sometime in 2013.

Specifications

General Info
Vehicle Type: Luxury Sedan	Est. Market Price: NA
Fuel Tank Capacity: 21.8 gal. (82.5 l)	MPG: 13 city / 20 hwy

Dimensions
Length: 212.6 in. (539.9 cm)	Wheelbase: 129.7 in. (329.5 cm)
Height: 61 in. (155 cm)	Width: 76.7 in. (194.8 cm)
Curb Weight: 5490 lbs (2490 kg)	Ground Clearance: NA
Luggage Capacity: 14 cu ft	Maximum Seating: 5

Performance
Engine: V12 Twin Turbo	Displacement: 6.6 Liter
Horsepower: 563 HP	Max RPM: 5250 rpm
Torque: 575 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm	Transmission: 8-Speed Shiftable Automatic
0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds	Top Speed: 155 mph (250 km/h)

Engine
Rolls-Royce introduced the model in November 2012, it comes with a 6.6 liter V12 with twin turbochargers. At 5250 rpm, the Ghost was capable of generating 563 HP, it also provides 575 lbs-ft of torque, allowing it to hit a top limited speed of 155 mph.

Performance
The electric air-sprung suspension system has been design to absorb road undulations. During poor road conditions, the suspensions are not enough and handling becomes difficult. Due to its weight, road grip gives it a stable feel during long drives. Light steering becomes an issue as the car tends to over steer on light corners.
Exterior
The design has been sprayed with two different shades of brown and hand-painted coach lines. The paintwork also includes the Arabic words "One Thousand and One Nights" on the back of the car. Except the paintwork, no other design modifications have been executed.
Interior
The interior of the car will be available only in white. Very few elements have remained black such as the leather-covered steering wheel and the dashboard. The lower part of the dashboard, the seats and the doors are covered in white leather with chrome elements.
Part of a trilogy, the 2013 Rolls-Royce One Thousand and One Nights Ghost Collection edition will only be available for the Middle East consumers due to its cultural adaptation. At the same time, the production of these models will be limited, similar to other editions such as the white version of the car.

2012 Wheelsandmore Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition

2013-01-09T01:41:00.001-10:00

German tuning company Wheelsandmore is now offering a carbon edition upgrade kit on the Aston Martin DBS. They call it the 2012 Wheelsandmore Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition.
Their refined version of the Aston Martin focuses on subtle visual upgrades and improvements that’s sure to enhance overall performance and handling.

Specifications

General Info
Vehicle Type: Super Sport Coupe	Est. Market Price: NA
Fuel Tank Capacity: 21.1 gal. (80 l)	MPG: NA

Dimensions
Length: 185.8 in. (471.9 cm)	Wheelbase: 107.9 in. (274.0 cm)
Height: 50.4 in. (128 cm)	Width: 75.0 in. (190.5 cm)
Luggage Capacity: 6.6 cu ft	Maximum Seating: 2

Performance
Engine: V12 DOHC	Displacement: 6.0 Liter
Horsepower: 557 HP	Max RPM: NA
Torque: 486 lb-ft	Transmission: 6-Speed Manual

Engine
The base engine of the DBS delivers nearly 517 horsepower. Wheelsandmore developed what they call a "CRP kit", this includes sport air filters, catalytic converters and an exhaust system with a flap-control option. The "CRP kit" increases the car's horsepower by 40, the torque by 66 lb-ft, and lowers the speed range of the turbo acceleration.

Performance
They also lowered the vehicle by 25MM, by doing so, Wheelsandmore increased the downforce of the Aston Martin when driving at high speeds. In addition, the wider tires provide improved road traction, keeping the car low for better handling. The responsive steering is similar to the stock version, making the DBS in the category of supercars that are easy to drive.
Exterior
Wheelsandmore lowered it by 25mm or a little under an inch, as mentioned earlier. No other obvious changes were made, but lowering necessitated changing the tires which give it a more intimidating look. The rims have the unmistakable carbon look. You can opt to go for RAL-colored outlines instead of the standard shades offered by the upgrade kit.
The 2012 Wheelsandmore Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition attempts to re-tune the original design without the use of body kits. The subtle modifications focus on the rims, tires, suspensions and air filters to squeeze out 40 HP more over the stock version.
The ride and handling does benefit from the increased downforce and suspension even if the car itself did not need the improvement.

2013 Porsche Cayman

2013-01-09T01:31:00.001-10:00

The 2013 Porsche Cayman features a design which is nearly identical to the Boxster. This 3rd generation of Cayman is lighter and faster, lower and long, powerful and more efficient than the previous generation.
This 2-seat sports car becomes joins Porsche's line up series that feature a pioneering lightweight body design.

Specifications

General Info
Vehicle Type: Super Sport Coupe	Est. Market Price: $52,600.00
Fuel Tank Capacity: 16.9 gal. (64 l)	MPG: 19 city / 26 hwy

Dimensions
Length: 172.3 in. (437.6 cm)	Wheelbase: 95.1 in. (241.5 cm)
Height: 51.4 in. (130.5 cm)	Width: 70.9 in. (180 cm)
Curb Weight: 2976 lbs (1349 kg)	Ground Clearance: NA
Luggage Capacity: 5.3 cu ft	Maximum Seating: 2

Performance
Engine: Flat 6 DOHC	Displacement: 3.4 Liter
Horsepower: 325 HP	Max RPM: 7200 rpm
Torque: 273 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm	Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
0-60 mph: 4.7 seconds	Top Speed: 176 mph (283 km/h)

Engine
The 2013 Cayman will be available in a highly efficient flat 6-cylinder powertrain mounted in front of the rear axle. The base trim will be powered by a 2.7L version producing 275 horsepower and 213 lbs-ft of torque. With this engine, the Cayman can accelerate from standstill to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 165 or 164 mph depending on the transmission.
The Cayman S is fitted with a 3.4L engine that generates 325 horsepower and 272 lb-ft of torque. With the PDK dual clutch in place, the car can speed from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 second and reach an optimum speed of 174 mph. When equipped with a manual gearbox, it sprints from 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds reaching a top speed of 175mph.

Exterior
The Cayman comes with an extended wheelbase with shorter overhangs which help improve aerodynamics. At the front, you will notice the new cooling air-intakes with built-in 4-point daytime running lights. This feature distinguishes the new Cayman from the previous generations.
The rear received a few improvements which include: a new aluminum boot-lid, LED brake light, and a new spoiler deploying at a steeper angle. The base model comes with 18-inch wheels, while the Cayman S trim is fitted with 19-inch wheels.
Interior
The interior also received several updates to provide a sporty and comfortable driving experience. The stick and the steering wheel have been placed at a close proximity from each other, while all buttons and functions of the on-board computer are spontaneously accessible.
With the increased power, efficiency and speed, the 2013 Porsche Cayman is destined to success. However it will compete against rivals like Audi TTS and Audi TT RS.

Halloween TV: From Frankenstein to Honey Boo Boo

2012-10-31T11:22:00.004-10:00

Wednesday night is Halloween and those cute little monsters knocking on your door won’t be the only things going bump in the night.
You’ve got to do something while you’re waiting for all those miniature Spider-Men and Little Mermaids to wander up your path. I say watch TV. But then I would.
As is always the case, your television stations have a fairly wide variety of thematic and/or legitimately scary stuff on the schedule.
You can’t go wrong with the classics. Just like the fabled doctor himself, TCM unearths and restores the original Frankenstein for a Wednesday-night screening at 8, followed by Son of Frankenstein at 9:30, with Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi joining Boris Karloff for more fiendish fun.
TCM follows with two more monstrous classics: The Wolf Man with Lon Chaney Jr., and Lugosi in a minor role, at 11:15. Karloff rises again in The Mummy at 12:30 a.m.
There’s some not-so-classic Frankie on TLN at 10 p.m.: Roger Corman’s cheesy 1990 Frankenstein Unbound, which brings together the monster (Nick Brimble), his maker (Raul Julia) and original author Mary Shelley (Bridget Fonda). John Hurt plays a mad scientist from the future. As dumb as it sounds.
If you’re looking for more family-friendly fare, you can always fall back on the tried-and-true 1966 cartoon classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, on ABC at 8.
There’s also a My Babysitter’s a Vampire marathon on Teletoon from 6 to 9 p.m., and the 2011 teleflick The Dog Who Saved Halloween on YTV at 7, with Dean Cain and Mayim Bialik, reuniting with her Blossom brother Joey Lawrence.
And now we return you to our regularly scheduled blood and gore.
Spike is running a marathon of the martial mash-up Deadliest Warrior and of particular interest is the 8 o’clock episode, which pits vampires against zombies in undead combat. My money’s on the neck-biters: they’re faster and they can fly.
Most regular series’ Halloween episodes have already aired in their regular time slots, but Criminal Minds has a partial Halloween theme, on CBS and CTV at 9.
The night’s new Arrow episode has no specific Halloween connection, but it’s a show about a guy who dresses up in costume and runs around at night scaring people. So there’s that. And Supernatural is always fairly spooky; Wednesday’s episode, featuring vampires, is on CH at 9.
Now let’s get literal. The recent Rob Zombie remake of the seasonally signature Halloween airs on Space at 11 p.m., with Malcolm McDowell on the trail of the unkillable Michael Myers.
Or go for John Carpenter’s 1978 original Halloween, with Donald Pleasance and Jamie Lee Curtis, airing in rotation with Halloweens 4 and 5 all day and night on AMC.
Also being cycled out — and never anything less than a time-warped good time — The Rocky Horror Picture Show takes over MuchMusic with multiple screenings at 10, 12:30 and 3. Give yourself over to absolute pleasure.
Moving on down the grid to the TMN movie channels, there’s a star-studded lineup of frightful features.
Haven’t seen the new Bond? Daniel Craig has not one but two genre flicks airing on TMN: Cowboys and Aliens at 8, opposite Harrison Ford, and Dream House starting at 9 p.m.
Our own Donald Sutherland joins Leonard Nimoy in the terrific 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers at 8:30. And speaking of remakes, there’s last year’s Fright Night starring a scary Colin Farrell at 10:35.
Facing off at 9 p.m., Jack Nicholson goes all creepy Kubrick in The Shining, while former Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe regrets his encounter with TheWoman in Black.
I’ve saved the scariest for last. Seriously. I’m terrified right now, just writing about it.
TLC has an entire evening of — gasp, choke — Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, running back to back to back from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. And if that isn’t enough to chill you to the very marrow, they’re bookending the marathon with multiple Toddlers & Tiaras.
Please. Make it stop.
Rob Salem usually writes Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays. Email: rsalem@thestar.ca; Twitter: @robsalem

U.S. election: Obama meets Christie on storm victim tour, as Romney gets back to campaign trail

2012-10-31T11:12:00.006-10:00

President Barack Obama is greeted by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie upon his arrival at Atlantic City International Airport, Wednesday.

Obama and Chris Christie Tour Superstorm Sandy's Devastation

2012-10-31T11:03:00.001-10:00

President Obama surveyed the devastation wreaked by the superstorm Sandy today with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in what both men say was a non-political event, but was a powerful image of bipartisan cooperation just six days before the election.

Obama was greeted on the tarmac by Christie, a vocal supporter of Obama's challenger Mitt Romney, and the two men boarded the president's Marine One helicopter to asses the damage along the battered New Jersey shore.

Christie has praised the president for his oversight of federal emergency efforts. Although it was not a political statement, Christie's comments are an unlikely endorsement of the president's leadership at crucial juncture in the race.

Together the two men cut an image of bipartisanship and cooperation ahead of next week's vote, as polls show the race in a dead heat nationally.

New polls in three key swing states show Obama holding his lead in Ohio and wiping away Romney's advantage in Virginia and Florida.

Obama leads 49 percent to 47 percent in Virginia and had a 48 percent to 47 percent edge in Florida, according to the Quinnipiac University/New York Times/CBS News poll.

Obama's lead in those two states are within the margin of error, meaning the candidates are essentially tied, but Republican rival Mitt Romney was leading in those states just a few days ago in other polls.

In Ohio, Obama is maintaining a five point lead with a 50-45 margin, according to Quinnipiac.
In a new video today, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said he thinks Obama is in the dominant position heading into Election Day because, "We are ahead or tied in every single battleground state."
(For more politics coverage check out abcnews.com/politics, or for lighter take otusnews.com)
But the Romney campaign disputed the results of the Quinnipiac surveys, claiming that it overestimates the size of the Democratic turnout.
Ohio, Virginia and Florida are among the most vital of the battleground states for both campaigns.
This is the first major poll of the swing states released since superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening, wreaking billions of dollars in damage and delivering an October Surprise that no pundit had predicted. The polls, however, were taken before Sandy arrived and may have altered voter attitudes towards the candidates.
Romney today goes back to a day of full campaigning after a brief respite out of respect to the storm victims, and his campaign hopes that the momentum generated in the days before Sandy hit will hold through Election Day.
He will attend two "victory rallies" in Florida today, with a number of high profile conservatives including former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and Sen. Marco Rubio.
Obama will return to campaigning Thursday with events in Green Bay, Wisc., Las Vegas, Nev., and Boulder, Colo.
Meanwhile, Romney as well as conservative Super PACs are spending big in the Democratic-leaning states Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
The Republicans say Romney's lead nationwide gives them the opportunity to go after Obama in blue leaning states, which the president does not yet have fully locked up. The Democrats, however, say Republicans are spending because advertising in the swing states is already saturated with political ads, and buying new ads is prohibitively expensive for outside groups.

Sandy's Blackout Threatens to Destroy Trove of Medical Research

2012-10-31T10:58:00.002-10:00

Researchers at the shuttered NYU Langone Medical Center scrambled today to salvage years of research into heart disease, cancer and other diseases as well as priceless lab specimens that have been put in jeopardy by the devastating storm Sandy.

NYU lost power shortly after superstorm Sandy struck Monday night. When backup generators failed, the Manhattan hospital evacuated 300 patients. But cells, tissues and animals used for medical research were left to die in failing refrigerators, freezers and incubators.

"It's so horrible, you don't even want to think about it," said Michelle Krogsgaard, a cancer biologist at NYU's Smilow Research Center. "All the work we did, all the time and money, we're going to have to start all over."

The power failure blocked access to the darkened 13-floor research center, which houses labs dedicated to heart disease, neurodegeneration and cancer research behind electronic key card readers. But today, Krogsgaard and members of her lab were allowed in to rescue tissue samples from thawing freezers. They are currently waiting for dry ice, which will buy them time as they relocates the specimens.

Krogsgaard also hopes to top up depleted tanks of liquid nitrogen, which store irreplaceable cell lines.

"We could lose everything we've done since I started at NYU six years ago," she said.

Earlier today, the website for NYU's research center posted a message urging employees to stay home indefinitely.
"At this time, we are focusing on assessing the full extent of the storm's impact on all of our patient care, research, and education facilities," reads a message on the research center's website. "Please do not report to work."
The rest of the center's website and email server is down, and calls to phones connected to the hospital end in a busy signal.
"I think the major problem is that there's no communication at all," said Krogsgaard, who until today was unable to access her 13th floor lab and heard nothing from the center's administrators. "That's the worst. And you can't get in. There's nothing you can do."
The center's animal facility, where mice and rats specially bred for human disease research are kept in warmed cages, is located in the basement of the flooded building. It's unclear if the animals survived.
"It's overwhelming," said Krogsgaard, who breeds genetically engineered mice to investigate therapies for human melanoma. "It would probably take a year to rebuild the colony. But I know people with more complicated lines, and it would take them even longer."
The damage at NYU could also make it hard for researchers compete for federal research funds, which have become increasingly hard to secure.
"It's going to be hard to publish," said Krogsgaard, explaining how research projects will grind to a halt as labs struggle to rebuild. "It's going to look like we've made no progress."
Krogsgaard said her lab members, whom she reached by phone and personal email, are safe.
"At least we know everyone's OK," she said, lamenting Sandy's wake of destruction along the coast. "So many people have lost their homes."
Sandy spawned record-breaking tides around lower Manhattan, prompting power outages from East 39th Street to the lower tip of Manhattan. NYU Langone Medical Center is located at East 33rd Street on 1st Avenue. The 50-year-old building sits at sea level atop an extended bulkhead in Kipp's Bay.
The hospital had at least two backup generators: one in the basement and one on the roof, according to a spokeswoman. But basement flooding caused one generator to fail, and cut off the fuel supply to the other.

Today in History

2012-10-29T18:44:00.002-10:00

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 30, the 304th day of 2012. There are 62 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
On Oct. 30, 1912, Vice President James S. Sherman, running for a second term of office with President William Howard Taft, died six days before Election Day. (Sherman was replaced with Nicholas Murray Butler, but Taft, the Republican candidate, ended up losing in an Electoral College landslide to Democrat Woodrow Wilson.)
On this date:
In 1735, the second president of the United States, John Adams, was born in Braintree, Mass.
In 1893, the U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval to repealing the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890.
In 1921, the silent film classic "The Sheik," starring Rudolph Valentino, premiered in Los Angeles.
In 1938, the radio play "The War of the Worlds," starring Orson Welles, aired on CBS.
In 1944, the Martha Graham ballet "Appalachian Spring," with music by Aaron Copland, premiered at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., with Graham in a leading role.
In 1945, the U.S. government announced the end of shoe rationing, effective at midnight.
In 1953, Gen. George C. Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Albert Schweitzer received the Peace Prize for 1952.
In 1961, the Soviet Union tested a hydrogen bomb, the "Tsar Bomba," with a force estimated at about 50 megatons. The Soviet Party Congress unanimously approved a resolution ordering the removal of Josef Stalin's body from Lenin's tomb.
In 1972, 45 people were killed when an Illinois Central Gulf commuter train was struck from behind by another train in Chicago's South Side.
In 1974, Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round of a 15-round bout in Kinshasa, Zaire (zah-EER'), known as the "Rumble in the Jungle," to regain his world heavyweight title.
In 1985, schoolteacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe witnessed the launch of the space shuttle Challenger, the same craft that carried her and six other crew members to their deaths in January 1986.
In 1997, a jury in Cambridge, Mass., convicted British au pair Louise Woodward of second-degree murder in the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. (The judge, Hiller B. Zobel, later reduced the verdict to manslaughter and set Woodward free.)
Ten years ago: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's broad-based coalition collapsed when Cabinet ministers from the moderate Labor Party resigned in a dispute over funding for Jewish settlements. Walter Mondale returned to politics as Minnesota Democrats approved the former vice president as a fill-in for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone less than a week before the election. (However, Mondale ended up losing to Republican Norm Coleman.) Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell), a rapper with the Run-D.M.C. hip-hop group, was killed in a shooting in New York; was 37.
Five years ago: Democrats Barack Obama and John Edwards sharply challenged Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's candor, consistency and judgment in a televised debate in Philadelphia. Singer-actor Robert Goulet died at a Los Angeles hospital at age 73.

One year ago: Britian's Sunday Telegraph published an interview with Syrian President Bashar Assad, who warned that a western intervention in Syria would lead to an "earthquake" that "would burn the whole region." Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's campaign denied a Politico report that he'd been twice accused of sexual harassment while he was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.
Today's Birthdays: Actor Dick Gautier is 75. Movie director Claude Lelouch is 75. Actor Ed Lauter is 74. Rock singer Grace Slick is 73. Songwriter Eddie Holland is 73. Rhythm-and-blues singer Otis Williams (The Temptations) is 71. Actor Henry Winkler is 67. Rock musician Chris Slade (Asia) is 66. Country/rock musician Timothy B. Schmit (The Eagles) is 65. Actor Leon Rippy is 63. Actor Harry Hamlin is 61. Actor Charles Martin Smith is 59. Country singer T. Graham Brown is 58. Actor Kevin Pollak is 55. Actor Michael Beach is 49. Rock singer-musician Gavin Rossdale (Bush) is 45. Actor Jack Plotnick is 44. Comedian Ben Bailey is 42. Actress Nia Long is 42. Country singer Kassidy Osborn (SHeDAISY) (sh-DAY'-zee) is 36. Actor Gael Garcia Bernal is 34. Actor Matthew Morrison is 34. Actor Shaun Sipos (SEE'-pohs) is 31. Actress Janel (juh-NEHL') Parrish is 24. Actor Tequan Richmond ("Everybody Hates Chris") is 20.
Thought for Today: "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood." — Marie Curie, Polish Nobel Prize-winning chemist (1867-1934).
(Above Advance for Use Tuesday, Oct. 30)
Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Power out at NYC Hospital; 200 Patients Evacuated

2012-10-29T18:42:00.001-10:00

A New York City hospital is moving out more than 200 patients after its backup generator failed when the power was knocked out by a superstorm.

Dozens of ambulances lined up outside NYU Tisch Hospital on Monday night as doctors and nurses began the slow process of taking people out. They started with the sickest and youngest, including 20 babies from neonatal intensive care. Some were on respirators operating on battery power.

NYU Medical Dean Robert Grossman says some of the patients are being treated for cancer and other serious illnesses. He says they have to be carefully carried down staircases. The elevators don't work without power.

Patients will be taken to other hospitals including Mount Sinai and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer.

Bone marrow transplant drug a step closer

2012-06-05T05:35:00.003-10:00

A DRUG that stops the body from rejecting bone marrow transplants in cancer patients could be ready for human trials in three years time.
The latest development comes after more than a decade of research unlocking the function of a protein called perforin, which kills rogue cells in the body.
Australian researchers involved in unravelling perforin's molecular structure, a discovery published in the journal Nature in 2010, are now working towards developing a safe drug to block the protein.
Perforin plays a key role in the body's immune response by punching holes in, and killing, cells which have been hijacked by viruses or cancer to rid the body of disease.
However, the protein is problematic for bone marrow transplant patients because it can cause the body to reject the treatment.
For this reason, a project led by the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne is developing a drug to inhibit the protein in bone marrow stem cell transplant patients to help their recovery.
The drug works in mouse models, but a $6.8 million grant from the UK's Wellcome Trust will allow the drug to be fine-tuned for human trials.
"In the mouse models we use, we know the inhibitors are effective," project leader Professor Joe Trapani, executive director of cancer research at Peter Mac, told AAP.
"They actually help stem cells survive when they would otherwise be rejected."
The Peter Mac team is working with New Zealand chemist Prof Bill Denny to refine the drug, along with Monash University and Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientists.
Prof Trapani said if all the timelines were met, the drug could be ready for the first stage of human trials in 2016.
Professor Geoff Hill from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research said if the drug worked in humans, more patients could have bone marrow stem cell transplants as the inhibitor would allow matches with more donors.
"This will mean that patients with blood cancers will be able to recover their infection-fighting white blood cells and platelets, critical for normal blood clotting, more rapidly after transplantation," Prof Hill said.

'Monster shark' bites great white in half near Stradbroke Island

2012-06-05T05:28:00.003-10:00

A "MONSTER" great white shark measuring up to six metres long is prowling a popular beach after biting another great white almost in half.

Swimmers were warned to stay out of the water off Stradbroke Island after the shark mauled another smaller great white which had been hooked on a baited drum line.

The 3m great white was almost bitten in half, The Daily Telegraph reports.

The fictional shark at the centre of the Steven Spielberg blockbuster Jaws was estimated to be more than 1.5 metres longer.

"It certainly opened up my eyes. I mean the shark that was caught is a substantial shark in itself," says Jeff Krause of Queensland Fisheries.

The great white, the most dangerous creature in the sea, was still alive when hauled onto a boat near Deadman's Beach off north Stradbroke island.

News of the shocking attack on the smaller shark has sent jitters along the Queensland coast from Stradbroke Island, near Brisbane, to the Sunshine Coast further north down to the tourist mecca of Surfers Paradise, south of Brisbane.

"Whatever attacked and took chunks out of this big shark must be massive," said 19-year-old surfer Ashton Smith. "I've heard about the big one that's lurking out there somewhere.

"We're all being very, very cautious."

Mr John Gooding, who operates a charter fishing boat, said sharks were everywhere, although there appeared to be no specific reason for an increase in the number.

"Some days you struggle to get a fish on to the boat before the sharks take them," he told the Courier Mail newspaper.

Many of the popular beaches in Queensland are protected by nets and what are known as drumlines - a series of baited hooks that hang from buoys placed in a line about 500 yards from beaches.

Since the net and drumline programme was introduced in Queensland there has been only one fatal attack on a protected beach.

The relatively recent attack occurred when 21-year-old student Sarah Whiley was killed off Stradbroke Island three years ago.

The Queensland State Government has been under pressure in recent weeks to scale down the shark net and drumline programme because environmentalists say that whales and other big fish are becoming trapped in the nets.

But Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin said the capture of the badly injured 3.5m shark - and the indication of a much larger one being in the area - showed the necessity to keep the nets and drumlines in place.

Darren Kindleysides, director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said the nets were working but at huge cost to whales, dolphins and turtles.

And Vic Hislop, an internationally-recognised authority on sharks, also believes the nets should be removed and other methods explored to scare away the predators.

20 sea lions found dead on US west coast

2012-06-05T05:24:00.000-10:00

ABOUT 20 dead sea lions - most with gunshot wounds - have been found on the US west coast in just two months, a marine mammal researcher said.
Dalin D'Alessandro told The Oregonian newspaper that the shot sea lions have been found since the beginning of April in northern Oregon and southern Washington.
The research assistant with the Northern Oregon-Southern Washington Marine Mammal Stranding Network said she thinks the killing is due to salmon fishermen frustrated over competition for their catch.
Last month, a US federal judge rejected a request to halt the killing of California sea lions that eat protected salmon at Oregon's Bonneville Dam. That program allows Idaho, Oregon and Washington authorities to target and kill sea lions that eat a lot of the salmon.
California sea lions are federally protected as marine mammals, but not as endangered or threatened species.
Steller sea lions are currently federally protected as a threatened species.

Eight glasses of water a myth - academic

2012-06-05T05:20:00.002-10:00

DRINKING eight glasses of water a day to lose weight and stay healthy is a myth, a Melbourne academic says.
Australian recommendations suggest an adequate daily fluid intake is about 2.8 litres for women and 3.4 litres for men.
However, this includes fluid found in food and beverages.
La Trobe University lecturer Spero Tsindos said people could get their daily fluid intake from fruit, vegetables, juices and even tea and coffee.
"If you're feeling thirsty then drink by all means a beverage. It doesn't have to be water," Mr Tsindos said.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't drink water. I'm saying the need to drink two litres of water on a regular basis is a complete myth.
"We should be telling people that beverages like tea and coffee contribute to a person's fluid needs and despite their caffeine content, do not lead to dehydration," Mr Tsindos said.
He said drinking a large quantity of water in one sitting to reach the daily intake level was pointless because it would not be distributed where it was needed. It would just dilute the urine, he said.
Drinking large amounts of water to lose weight would not work either without a low-calorie diet, he added.
"There is further evidence that water and a well-balanced diet does far more than water alone," Mr Tsindos wrote in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health today.
"Water is important for health, however, the recommendation of eight glasses of pure water a day appears an overestimation of requirements," he said.
The "eight glasses a day" notion may have stemmed from guidelines published in the US in 1945, Mr Tsindos wrote.
The National Academy of Sciences recommended that about 2.5 litres of water should be consumed daily.

FLYING, WHY? Plane on mission to ... er ... we'll get back to you on that one

2012-06-05T05:00:00.000-10:00

IT has circled the Earth for a year at 27,000km/h on a top secret mission.
Now the US Air Force's unmanned space plane, the experimental Boeing X37-B, will land in June - ending its mission in orbit.
At launch, the craft was accompanied by staff in biohazard suits, leading to speculation there were radioactive components on board, The Daily Mail reports.
The plane resembles a mini space shuttle and is the second to fly in space.
It was meant to land in March, but the mission of the X-37B orbital test vehicle was extended for unknown reasons.
The first one landed in December at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California after more than seven months in orbit.
The 8.8m, solar-powered craft had an original mission of 270 days.

Freescale Semiconductor names CEO

2012-06-05T04:35:00.000-10:00

(Reuters) - Chipmaker Freescale Semiconductor Holdings Ltd named Texas Instruments Inc executive Gregg Lowe as its new chief executive.
Lowe, who joined Texas Instruments in 1984 and headed its analog semiconductor business most recently, will succeed Rich Beyer, Freescale's CEO of four years.
Beyer, who said in April that he would retire, will continue to serve on Freescale's board to ensure a smooth transition, the company said in a statement.
Lowe will be succeeded at Texas Instruments by senior vice president Brian Crutcher, Texas Instruments said in a separate statement.
(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

Oracle to buy Collective Intellect

2012-06-05T04:33:00.002-10:00

(Reuters) - Oracle Corp will buy Collective Intellect, which helps businesses to get information about consumers from Facebook and Twitter pages.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The deal comes a day after Oracle's rival Salesforce.com Inc agreed to buy Buddy Media, a social media marketing company.
Collective Intellect uses its web-based text mining and analytics software to help its customers to collect and process information from online consumer conversations and other available content.
Oracle last month announced plans to buy Vitrue, a cloud-based social marketing and engagement platform, for an undisclosed price. Industry website TechCrunch said the Vitrue deal was for $300 million.
(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Egyptians called to protest, reclaim their revolt

2012-06-05T04:28:00.000-10:00

(Reuters) - Activists urged Egyptians to turn out for a big protest on Tuesday to reclaim a revolt they say has been hijacked after Hosni Mubarak was jailed for life but top security officials freed in a trial seen as a sign his old guard remain in charge.
Although Mubarak was imprisoned on Saturday over the killing of protesters, he escaped the death penalty and senior officers tried with him were acquitted for lack of evidence so many now believe the ex-president could win with an appeal.
The calls to hit the streets, almost 16 months after Mubarak was toppled, have also been fuelled by a looming June 16-17 presidential run-off vote between Mubarak's last prime minister and a conservative Islamist, a choice that has polarized Egypt.
Many Egyptians who voted for centrist candidates in last month's first round now face a wrenching choice between Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, which already controls parliament, and Ahmed Shafiq, an ex-military man like Mubarak.
"No to Mursi, no to Shafiq, the revolution is half way through," read a placard held up by one youth in Cairo's Tahrir Square, calling for a boycott of the vote. Hundreds were already in the square on Tuesday morning.
The vote is the final step before the army which took charge when Mubarak was driven out formally hands over to a new president by July 1, formally ending a transition marred by protests, political bickering and sometimes bloodshed.
But divisions on the street have become more pronounced in the final countdown. While thousands demonstrated in Tahrir late on Monday, some wanted a boycott of the vote and others argued with Islamists over whether or not to back Mursi.
The April 6 movement and liberal or centrist parties or groups, in their demands for Tuesday's rally, said they wanted the presidential vote put on hold till a law is passed to block Shafiq, a senior member of Mubarak's government, from running.
RIGHTS
The Muslim Brotherhood, with a chance to secure Egypt's top job after decades of repression by Mubarak, said it would join the protest but has not called for any election delay.
Instead, its demands focus on a retrial for those it accuses of killing protesters, a trial for Shafiq who was appointed premier while anti-Mubarak demonstrations were still going on, and a rejection of any bid to "reproduce the previous regime."
"We came to get our rights and the rights of the martyrs, and we don't want Ahmed Shafiq," said Hussein Ahmed, 30, one of those in Tahrir on Tuesday.
Protesters in the square could all agree that Shafiq, branded one of the "feloul" or remnants of Mubarak's era, should be kept out of power. But they were divided about whether or not Mursi is, as he has told voters, a revolutionary candidate.
Many distrust the Brotherhood for reneging on an earlier pledge not to run for the presidency and say it has sought to hog power since it won the biggest bloc of seats in parliament, winning many more seats that it originally said it would seek.
Talks between Mursi and two losing candidates, leftist Hamdeen Sabahy and ex-Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh who came third and fourth in last month's first round vote, have yet to yield an explicit endorsement for Mursi.
Sabahy and Abol Fotouh have declared the election void because of alleged violations and have pushed for the formation of a presidential council - a body likely to include them.
The Brotherhood has said such a council would be unconstitutional but Mursi said he would be willing to appoint vice presidents from outside the group.
The votes secured by Abol Fotouh and Sabahy make up about 40 percent of those cast in the first round and could be vital to a Mursi win.
Shafiq's supporters have kept a lower profile. Many of his voters come from among Egyptians who were happy to see the back of Mubarak but are now desperate to see law and order reinstated and the economy put back on its feet.
They include liberals and Christians who fear an Islamist leader will trample on social freedoms and build an Islamic state. Mursi insists people will be free in their opinions and in what they wear under his rule.
One campaigner for Shafiq said his supporters would rally in their cars in a Cairo district to show their backing for Shafiq, who supporters see as having the army's backing to deliver on his pledge to restore order.
Although the generals will formally hand over power by July 1, analysts and diplomats expect them to remain an influential player from behind the scenes for years to come.
(Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Charitable group offers "concierge" access to stars

2012-06-05T04:24:00.002-10:00

(Reuters) - Looking for access to your favorite celebrity? Want to do a little good while schmoozing with the stars? It could be possible, but it will cost $20,000 or more.
Philanthropic group Charitybuzz, best known for online celebrity auctions, on Tuesday is launching an effort it calls "Do Good Dream Big," which it describes as a sort of "celebrity concierge" service with access to the stars for the right price.
Potential donors can go to a website, offer up their "dream" to, for instance, enjoy dinner with George Clooney or take tennis lessons with the Williams sisters for a minimum $20,000. If the celebrity agrees, the date is made and the money goes to a chosen charity.
"We have established relationships with top celebrities and corporations," Coppy Holzman, chief executive of Charitybuzz told Reuters. "This is our area of expertise, and as a result, we're able to produce upscale, unique experiences built upon our community of bidders."
The celebrity concierge concept was tested in May with a private focus group and raised several hundred thousand dollars. Based on that experience, Holzman predicts the public launch will garner millions of dollars within a year, though not every user-crafted event is feasible.
"Some experiences are well beyond the limits of personal space," he said. "One person requested to do a moon watch with David Bowie on Virgin Atlantic. Aside from being weird, that's just not going to happen.
"If you want to spend the weekend at Celine Dion's vacation house, that's not going to happen. But meeting her after her Vegas show is possible," he added.
If a celebrity thinks the idea is good but the donor's initial bid is too low, the star can counter with his or her own figure for the experience.
Holzman believes Charitybuzz will be able to confirm requests within a few weeks of receiving the idea and all experiences will happen within a year's time.
Building on what Holzman sees as a trend toward altruistic endeavors, the crux of "Do Good Dream Big" rests on empowering those who want to contribute to causes while also being rewarded for their efforts.
"Most people don't care what the charity is, they just want a viable way to contribute," he said.
Through celebrity auctions, Charitybuzz said it has raised over $65 million for nonprofit organizations. Some groups supported by Charitybuzz include St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, the William J. Clinton Foundation, the Global Poverty Project and amfAR.
Those interested in participating can access "Do Good Dream Big" through the company's website, www.charitybuzz.com/dogooddreambig.
(Reporting by Courtney Garcia; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Analysis: Egyptian status quo ends for Israelis, Palestinians

2012-06-05T04:23:00.000-10:00

(Reuters) - Far apart on so many issues, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas almost certainly see eye to eye on the Egyptian presidential election.
Both would like Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force chief who served as Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, beat the Muslim Brotherhood's anointed candidate, Mohamed Mursi, in the June 16-17 ballot.
For Israel, a Shafiq victory would provide a modicum of reassurance after months of anxiety triggered by the ousting of Mubarak -- a period of uncertainty that has raised doubt about the viability of Israel's historic 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.
For Palestinian leaders in the occupied West Bank, success for the bluff, secular Shafiq would bolster them in their interminable struggle with Hamas, an Islamist group born from the Muslim Brotherhood and which controls the Gaza Strip.
But with the Islamists already dominant in the new-look Egyptian parliament, both Netanyahu and Abbas know that there will be no simple return to the status quo that Mubarak offered, which provided them both with sturdy cover at home and abroad.
"The Muslim Brotherhood has become a strong part of the Egyptian political formula and no one can ignore them, not even a president of a different color," said Talal Okal, a Palestinian political analyst based in the Gaza Strip.
ENCIRCLED BY PROBLEMS
Islamist gains in Egypt have strengthened the sense of encirclement in the militarily powerful Jewish state, already preoccupied with the nuclear ambitions of Iran.
Israel's regional strategy was underpinned by its peace deal with Egypt, enabling the country to scale back dramatically its military budget and helping it contain its troubled relations with the Palestinians.
Mubarak's Egypt also supplied Israel with 40 percent of its gas needs. This deal has now gone up in smoke.
Few expect that a victorious Mursi would trash the peace accord -- too much foreign aid depends on it. By the same token, nobody here expects anything more than frigid relations from a man who is quoted as calling Israelis "vampires".
"Some think the Brotherhood will become more pragmatic once in power, but this is doubtful. We prefer the 'ancien regime', which Shafiq represents," said Efraim Inbar, head of Bar-Ilan University's Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.
From Israel's perspective, one of Mubarak's great advantages was that he helped maintain a tough blockade on Gaza. Hamas hopes a Mursi presidency would loosen the economic shackles of a boycott Israel says is meant to stop the flow of arms to Gaza.
Hamas, which does not recognize Israel's right to exist, also believes that with the Brotherhood fully in control in Cairo, its position in its internal struggle for supremacy against the Western-backed Abbas would be greatly strengthened.
"To a great extent Islamists in Palestine see their future tied to the victory of Mursi, which would complete the circle and leave the Islamists in full control of the entire Egyptian political system," said Okal, the Gaza analyst.
DEEP-ROOTED HATRED
Israel was an easy campaign target for Egyptian presidential candidates, who enthusiastically tapped into popular antipathy towards the Jewish state, promising to revisit the peace accord.
Although Israeli officials rule out any wholesale review of the treaty, there might be some wriggle room on the military annex which at present allows Egypt to maintain just 230 tanks and one infantry division in the Sinai.
The desert peninsula has become increasingly lawless since the departure of Mubarak, Israel says, and some analysts believe a more robust security presence would be in everyone's interest.
"If Egypt asks to reopen the military agreement then the Israelis should agree to changes, so long as they are reasonable," said Oded Eran, a former diplomat and senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies.
"This would give the agreement a new lease of life under the auspices of the Muslim Brotherhood."
Even if such cooperation comes to pass, it will not dispel anti-Israeli sentiment that is so widespread in Egypt.
Some argue that this antipathy, evident in the sacking of the Israeli embassy in Cairo last September, is tied to the fact that there is still no peace deal with the Palestinians.
But Israelis who have lived in Egypt, which has fought four wars against the Jewish state, say the reasons are much more deeply rooted and see no quick fix, whoever wins the presidency.
"No matter where the Egyptian turns, he absorbs hatred of Israel," said Eli Shaked, a former Israeli ambassador to Cairo, complaining of rampant anti-Semitism in schools and the media.
"The Mubarak regime encouraged this trend ... and used it to release steam by the public and distract attention from the poverty and backwardness in Egypt. It will remain in place, as there is no end to the hatred," he added.
(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Wynn's Macau resort to cost $4 billion; shrugs off VIP slowdown fears

2012-06-05T04:21:00.000-10:00

(Reuters) - U.S. casino magnate Steve Wynn said on Tuesday that Wynn Macau Ltd's latest casino resort in the former Portuguese enclave would cost $4 billion, as the company bets on continued growth in the world's largest gambling destination.
In a media briefing at his Macau casino, the 70-year-old chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts Ltd and Wynn Macau also expressed confidence that the property would provide a return on investment despite the current economic climate.
"Growth of the market has been so spectacular, the expansion so dramatic, it is unrealistic for it to continue at that rate," Wynn said, though he added that the market did not need to keep increasing at such a pace for it to be a good place to do business.
Macau, located on the tip of China's southern coast, has been a goldmine for casino operators, raking in more than five times the revenue that Vegas does as mainland visitors flock to the only Chinese city where they can casino-gamble legally.
But data showed last week that gambling revenue growth in Macau had slowed to 7.3 percent in May. That was its slowest expansion rate since July 2009 and a far cry from the 70-90 percent monthly growth rates seen in 2010, although total revenue was still the second highest for a single month.
Wynn shrugged off concerns of a slowdown in the VIP sector, which relies heavily on the availability of liquidity extended to wealthy gamblers.
"There has been an increase in capacity of VIP and I am not sure if the picture is clear of a marked slowdown. The market is still growing and I think it will continue to grow," he said.
Macroeconomic risks in China, including easing economic growth, have sparked fears of a slowdown in the number of cash-rich Chinese travelling to gamble in Macau.
Wynn and rivals such as Sheldon Adelson's Las Vegas Sands and MGM Resorts have been racing to expand in the crowded casino enclave despite economic uncertainty as there is only limited space remaining to build new projects.
AHEAD OF RIVALS
The company has broken ground on its 51-acre (20-hectare) site located on a reclaimed stretch of land known as Cotai, putting it ahead of rivals including MGM and Macau kingpin Stanley Ho's SJM Holdings, which are still awaiting government approval.
Wynn confirmed on Tuesday that financing for the resort, which will comprise 120,000 square feet of retail space, up to 10 restaurants, theatres, ballrooms and a nightclub, would come together in the next few weeks.
The new Macau monorail will stop at the lakeside front of the resort, which is slated to open in 2016, and the height of the building will be restricted to 120 meters (about 390 feet) due to its proximity to the airport.
On gaming, the property will have around 500 tables, Wynn said, stressing that the emphasis was on quality, not quantity.
Wynn's Macau unit announced on May 2 that it had received formal approval from the government to begin construction on the new casino on the Cotai strip, a muddy plot of land only a few years ago, but it did not reveal the cost of the project at the time.
Macau officials are envisaging Cotai, also home to Melco Crown's electric-blue casino towers, as a leisure and tourism hub that will ease Macau's deep reliance on gambling. It is located 10 minutes from the main peninsula, where Wynn already operates a high-end casino.
Wynn also said the company's board was not concerned about the outcome of a legal battle with former shareholder Kazuo Okada, a Japanese billionaire who helped bankroll Wynn's casino developments starting in 2000 and is now building his own casino in the Philippines.
The case between the two businessmen, once best friends, is likely to drag on for a considerable time unless both parties settle, lawyers say.
Shares of Wynn Macau were up 2.8 percent in Hong Kong on Tuesday, outpacing a 1 percent gain in the benchmark index.
(Reporting By Farah Master; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Chris Gallagher)

All eyes on Wisconsin governor's recall election

2012-06-05T04:17:00.001-10:00

(Reuters) - Wisconsin voters will decide on Tuesday whether to throw Governor Scott Walker out of office in a rare recall election forced by opponents of the Republican's controversial effort to curb collective bargaining for most unionized government workers.
The rematch with Milwaukee's Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett, who Walker defeated in a Republican sweep of the state in 2010, is the end-game of six months of bitter fighting in the Midwestern Rust Belt state over the union restrictions Walker proposed and enacted.
The recall election in closely divided Wisconsin, which helped elect Democrat Barack Obama as president in 2008, is seen as a dress rehearsal for the 2012 U.S. presidential election in November.
The vote is also viewed as a test of strength between organized labor and conservative opponents, both of whom have poured money and effort into the contest.
"This is going to be an early indication of which way the political wind is blowing in Wisconsin," said Steven Schier, a political analyst at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. "It has implications for the presidential race and national politics. Wisconsin could be a swing state."
On Monday night, Walker held a raucous election eve rally on Milwaukee's south side, where he said his administration had been a successful one.
"We've kept our word. We've kept our promises," Walker told some 200 supporters at a banquet hall.
About two dozen protesters briefly confronted Walker supporters in a parking lot outside the hall until police arrived to separate the two groups.
This will be just the third recall election of a governor in U.S. history, and follows weeks of vociferous protests by demonstrators who occupied the state capitol in Madison as Walker and fellow Republican lawmakers pushed through the union curbs in March 2011.
The law forced most state workers, including teachers, to pay more for health insurance and pensions, limited their pay raises, made payment of union dues voluntary and forced unions to be recertified every year.
The measure angered Democrats and unions, who gathered nearly 1 million signatures on petitions to force the recall election.
If Walker wins, Schier said observers will forecast Republican chances in the November 6 general election by measuring his margin of victory against his nearly 6-percentage-point win over Barrett in 2010.
Walker has led Barrett narrowly in most opinion polls leading up to the balloting, with very few voters undecided, so each side has mounted intense get-out-the-vote campaigns.
'UNFORGIVABLE'
Opponents of the union curbs charge Walker and fellow Republican lawmakers undercut workers' rights.
"I've never been member of a union, but what Walker did was unforgivable," said Michael Thom, 42, a carpenter in Columbus about 25 miles northeast of Madison, who said he is not affiliated with either party. "What the Republicans did amounted to an attack on the working class."
Passions are just as strong among Walker supporters who believe the changes were necessary to reduce a yawning budget deficit and curtail the power of government unions.
"Walker said he'd cut spending and he did, so I'm with him," said Paul Peardon, 40, who works for a construction equipment manufacturer near Milwaukee.
"Workers in the private sector have seen their wages and pensions affected by the recession," Peardon said. "It's only fair government workers should have to share the same pain."
Walker's lieutenant governor, Rebecca Kleefisch, and three Republican state senators also face recall elections on Tuesday. A fourth state senator targeted for recall resigned, and a candidate from each party is vying for her empty seat.
Walker has traveled the country and raised some $30 million for the campaign. More than half came from donors outside the state, including brothers David and Charles Koch, the conservative owners of the conglomerate Koch Industries. Barrett raised about $4 million.
In 2008, Obama won Wisconsin by 14 percentage points over Republican John McCain. Two years later, Republicans roared back, electing Walker to replace the outgoing Democratic governor, defeating veteran Democratic U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and taking over both houses of the state legislature.
The outcome of Tuesday's vote will be claimed as a momentum builder by either presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney or Obama, analysts predicted.
"Both presidential campaigns are watching this race closely," Schier said. "If Barrett wins I wouldn't be surprised if Obama shows up in Wisconsin within a week. If Walker wins, the same is true for Romney."
Obama Tweeted on Monday "It's election Day in Wisconsin tomorrow, and I'm standing by Tom Barrett. He'd make an outstanding governor." Romney has called Walker a "hero."
A loss for Walker would derail a rising Republican star who has knocked down talk he might become Romney's vice presidential running mate, whereas a Walker win could devastate unions that are a powerful Democratic constituency.
Only two previous recall efforts against sitting governors have ever made it to the ballot: Lynn Frazier in North Dakota in 1921 and Gray Davis in California in 2003. Both lost.
"If Walker wins the recall election he will be able to boast of being the only U.S. governor ever to be elected twice to the same office in one term," said Charles Franklin, a professor of law and policy at Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee.
(Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Andrew Stern and Lisa Shumaker)