Newsy - U.S.

UVA Lacrosse Sentencing Faces Questions

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:45:00 -0600

(Image source: Media General News Service)

BY BLAKE HANSON

After nearly nine hours of deliberations Wednesday, a jury found former University of Virginia lacrosse-player George Huguely guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love. A Fox News reporter describes the courtroom when the jury read the verdict...

“Pretty remarkable scene Martha, no sense of joy, no sense of victory on the part of anybody there, no sense of retribution. The one sense you really could detect in that court room was a pervading sense of sorrow.”

The jury recommended 26 years in prison. 25 for second-degree murder and 1 for grand larceny for Huguely’s theft of Love’s comptuer.
(Video: CBS News)

So was the verdict enough? Too much? The Baltimore Sun’s Jean Marbella says it was somewhat of a loss for both sides of the courtroom.

“The verdict seemed in some ways a considered, middle-of-the-road conclusion. Second-degree murder was less perhaps than what the prosecution wanted, and more than the manslaughter that the defense had hoped for …”

The judge will ultimately make the decision on how long Huguely’s sentence is — but can only make it equal or shorter than what the jury recommended. NBC’s Today talked with a legal expert who said it was a lack of evidence that prevented a first-degree murder conviction...

“I think a lot of times the jury looks at the history of love and affection between the couple and decides that what the commonwealth has really proven in this case is a flash of anger or passion rather than a real intent to kill.”

Intoxication is a defense to premeditated murder in Virginia. Despite that — some are saying the Love family was wronged, including a writer for The Student Operated Press, who says Huguely...

“...clearly should have been convicted of first degree murder… Apparently, hyper-intoxication can be used in the State of Virginia as a viable argument for the defense.”

Meanwhile a writer for Slate says the media did not focus on the right message of the trial...

“While many media outlets seem to be drawn to the Hugely trial because of the issues it raises about class, money and the treatment of athletes on fancy college campuses, the real focus should be on domestic violence.”

The sentencing hearing for Huguely is set for April.

New App Introduces Texting for the Blind

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:30:12 -0600

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Image Source: Georgia Tech

BY GILLIAN STEDMAN

ANCHOR DAVID EARL

Techies have developed new software that they say will help you text without looking at your phone.

It’s called “Braille-touch.” The aim is to help the visually impaired send text messages with ease. Researchers at Georgia Tech created the app for touch screen devices, based on the braille writing system.

The App’s developer, Mario Romero, says typing on the app is so fast, even people who aren’t visually impaired could benefit. CNN quotes…

“It may be a solution for everybody to get their eyes off their phone so they can walk and text or watch TV and make a comment on a blog... It may free the sighted people’s eyes.”

But those who want to use it would have to learn braille. The app’s arrival comes just in time, tech blogger Andy Watts says...

“There has been strong concern in the blind community about the growing number of touch screen devices, making them truly blind, taking over the more traditional button/ braille method. Could ‘Braille Touch’ start a revolutionary change for the visually impaired?”

A blogger at Gigaom says buying an iPhone for this purpose is well worth it...

“This solution is brilliant on several levels. … as a free, open source application, it’s far cheaper than a dedicated Braille machine, even when factoring in the cost of an iPhone.”

But Gottabemobile warns...

“Though you’ll be able to type without looking at the screen, the team stresses in the video that this is not a solution for texting and driving. Just because you don’t take your eyes off the road doesn’t mean you’ll be able to drive well while both hands are on your phone.”

The app will be available free for both Apple and Android devices within the next few weeks.

Danica Patrick Set For Daytona 500

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:40:09 -0600

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(Image Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel)

BY ANDREW CARTER

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

From commercials to driving in circles. 29-year-old female NASCAR driver Danica Patrick is ready for her debut on the big stage.

Patrick is set to debut in the Sprint Cup Series at the Daytona 500, and tells reporters she believes she can win. Sports Illustrated has more.

“For the first time since Janet Guthrie was breaking gender barriers in the late 1970s, a female driver is coming to Daytona with a legitimate chance to run well.”

Because of her commercialization, Patrick is one of the most recognizable stock car drivers without even spinning any wheels around a Sprint Cup track. Yahoo! Sports analysts say if she has success it will come early.

“Yeah that’s gonna be the big question, I liken it to a rookie hitter making his way through the baseball schedule the first month or so, he can go and dominate, but once people figure him out then he starts to taper off, I think that’s what we will see with Danica.”

The New York Times believes early success for Patrick may mean big bucks for NASCAR.

“Nascar, which has felt the effects of the recession in terms of dwindling sponsorship dollars, could have an increase in fan interest and television viewership because of her. And that could be the hook that draws sponsors back to the sport.”

Last year, rookie driver Trevor Bayne won the season’s first race, giving Patrick hope in a race that, according to NASCAR analysts, is what some call a “crap shoot”. ESPN reports veteran drivers may gamble with her.

“You know, it doesn’t happen overnight. You know these guys are going to try and push her around that is just the new guy on the block, new person comes in, that’s what they do. And, I think she’s got a little fight in her, I think she can give it back.”

With all the talk among the media, Yahoo!Sports contributor Paula Thompson says ultimately there is only one method for success.

“Let her racing do the talking - yes, she's a GoDaddy girl, known for her provocative commercials and magazine spreads, but that won't go far in NASCAR - she'll need to let her actions on the track speak for her.”

Patrick will have a chance to put her foot where her mouth is at the Daytona 500 Monday at noon.

Fannie and Freddie Rack Up Millions in Attorneys' Fees

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:00:08 -0600

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(Image source: Financial Report)

BY DAVID EARL

The Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac saga continues. It turns out, the embattled government-backed mortgage lenders have racked up quite the pile of billable hours. Here’s the Portland Fox affiliate KPTV with the price tag...

“So far, the mortgage lenders have paid almost $110 million in legal fees for former executives facing lawsuits since 2004.”

It’s been a good eight years for the Fannie and Freddie legal defense team. But, their profit doesn’t exactly look pretty. The Washington Post points out...

“The payments … underscore the uncomfortable and conflicting role the government faces as conservator for the firms, whose bad bets on risky home loans before the financial crisis have cost taxpayers more than $130 billion.”

Right now, Fannie and Freddie are in conservatorship with the federal government. That means the feds legally control the companies. And the look at the companies’ legal fees comes at the same time others are calling for more money for the lenders. Bloomberg reports the perspective of the head of the Federal Housing Authority.

“The mandate to protect taxpayers must be balanced with the need to invest in staff and infrastructure. ‘Conservatorship can’t go on forever,’ [Edward] DeMarco said … ‘If we want to have a secondary mortgage market in the future without Fannie and Freddie we have to start investing.’”

And for all the previous talk on Capitol Hill about killing the companies, the Wall Street Journal says nobody wants to be the one to pull the trigger. Love it or hate it, Fannie and Freddie are still a BIG part of the housing market.

“That’s why I think politically, people get so stuck on it, because there’s that thing where people say get rid of them, yeah, well, if you get rid of them tomorrow, that’s the housing market gone.”

But talking about change at Fannie and Freddie is something that’s been going on a long time. Case in point, a 2010 statement by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. PBS has the quote...

“Fixing this system is one of the most consequential and one of the complicated economic policy problems we face as a nation.”

But for all the talk of cleaning up mortgage lending practices over the years, the Huffington Post points out, nothing seems to be changing, even with the search for a new CEO at Fannie Mae.

“Which names are at the top of the list? One of them is Fannie Mae's current Chief Counsel, Timothy Mayapoulos. What did Mayapoulos do before he joined Fannie Mae? He was chief counsel for Bank of America in 2008, when BofA was neck-deep in a wave of foreclosure fraud and other criminal activity.”

As for that mountain of legal fees? A watchdog agency has called for stricter oversight.

Newsy Now: February 23 (1300 GMT)

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:40:12 -0600

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(Image Source: University of Virginia)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN AND STEVEN SPARKMAN

ANCHOR DAVID EARL

This is Newsy Now and here are your latest headlines.

In U.S. news — a verdict for former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely. ABC reports — he was found guilty of murdering girlfriend Yeardley Love.

“It took just nine hours for the jury to reach a verdict. Formal sentencing will take place April 16th. But jurors tonight recommended he receive 26 years in prison.”

And in world news — 49 people are dead after a train crash in Argentina. According to the BBC — officials are saying it’s the worst train crash in the country in some 40 years.

“It is an old rail system in Argentina and most of it is still in need of renovation. This is one of the most busiest parts of the rail system in Argentina...”

In Iraq, at least 50 people were killed in a wave of attacks that swept the country. The attacks all took place in a 4-hour period; they targeted Baghdad and 11 other cities. Here’s WTTG with more.

“Most of the bombings and shootings appear to target police. Now, the worst blast was in a Shiite neighborhood during rush hour, shaking buildings and windows blocks away.”

In health — a new study says the dreaded colonoscopy can save lives. WABC says it’s a first-of-its-kind finding.

“...the risk of dying from colon cancer can be cut in half by finding and removing precancerous growths. Experts hope the findings will inspire more people … to get tested.”

Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m David Earl, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

'Babycinos' Served Up at Coffee Shops

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:00:06 -0600

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(Image source: The Telegraph)

BY CIDNEY KING

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

Coffee for kids? A new decaf drink doesn’t exactly have everyone pouring out praise. WPIX has more...

“You’ve heard of cappuccinos but what about babycinos? We’re outside one of the local spots in Brooklyn that actually sells these for a dollar a piece and helps the little ones feel part of the adult crew.”

Children as young as two are wrapping their hands around the mini cups of decaf coffee. One doctor tells the New York Post she thinks this trend may be harmful, because …

“ … both decaf and regular coffee have a compound that robs kids of iron.”

Not everyone agrees that a little decaf in the morning poses health risks for children. The crew on NBC’s “TODAY” has a different take on why babycinos may be a bad idea.

“Everything you could do to keep kids kids as long as possible. This is one example. They have plenty of time to be an adult. But will it hurt them, no.”

But is the controversy over babycinos even a real controversy? A New York Magazine writer says it’s just a case of the media blowing the story out of proportion.

“The local media is treating the ‘babyccino’ story like that last sip of grainy, cold coffee at the bottom of the cup — forcing it down, even though it should just be left alone.”

Whether a story or not, some parents say they will still serve the drink to their children. According to the Brooklyn Paper, this may be a a smart marketing move.

“Babyccinos can help coffee shops reach a whole new generation of java drinkers — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing for children, so long as they stick to decaf.”

CDC: Raw Milk Has Highest Health Risk of All Dairy Products

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

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(Image Source: The Boston Globe)

BY XIAONAN WANG

ANCHOR LAUREN GORES

A new CDC study says raw milk poses higher health risks than pasteurized milk. The study examined 13 years of infectious disease outbreaks. The CDC summarized their findings in a press release.

“The rate of outbreaks caused by unpasteurized milk (often called raw milk) and products made from it was 150 times greater than outbreaks linked to pasteurized milk...the 13-year review also revealed that the states where the sale of raw milk was legal had more than twice the rate of outbreaks as states where it was illegal.”

The CDC is calling for stricter regulation on raw milk production. But raw milk lovers defended their favorite dairy product. The Journal Sentinel has their reasoning.

“Raw milk advocates say the benefits of fresh, unprocessed milk outweigh the risks. They say it contains nutrients, enzymes and bacteria that boost the immune system, that are killed by pasteurization.”

A dairy farmer — whose farm was blamed for a recent outbreak — says people are treating raw milk unfairly. He told Bloomberg:

“Raw milk didn’t make people sick, [bacteria] did...That’s an important distinction. Whenever [it’s] raw milk, people want to vilify raw milk and say don’t drink it. They don’t say the same thing about cantaloupe or spinach or peanut butter.”

According to CDC, around one percent of dairy consumed in the U.S. is raw. Nutrition activists say its closer to three percent. But a writer for the LA Times points out, that’s a lot of illness for such a small number.

“Why is 1% of the dairy products causing 60% of the trouble? It's probably because even when cows are milked in the cleanest of conditions, some bacteria ... manage to slip by. And unfortunately, they can't be smelled, tasted or seen by unsuspecting consumers.”

For some consumers, condemning raw milk may seem like an overreaction. But a mom who shared her story with the CDC says it’s also unnecessary to take the risk.

“Raw milk is safe if there’s not a pathogen, but the chance of it having a pathogen, the risk is so huge, it doesn’t outweigh the benefit of making that choice for your family.”

It’s illegal to sell raw milk directly to consumers in some states. Federal law also prohibits dairies from distributing it across state lines in final package form.

Obama Proposes Corporate Tax Cut

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Education View)

BY CODY LAGROW

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

President Obama wants to revamp the corporate tax code. Here’s the details, from CNN.

“The proposal would lower the corporate tax rate from 35% to 28% ... The plan would also get rid of some corporate tax breaks and limit the ability of corporations to shift their profits overseas.”

According to The New York Times...

“The administration plan to revamp a corporate code that is widely derided as inefficient and anti-competitive has been in the works at Treasury for two years...”

CBS reports — members of both parties have shown interest in overhauling the tax system, and many businesses are on board as well.

“In coordination with a lot of corporations who have long said that this corporate tax rate is outdated. It should be changed. It should be scratched. iIt makes us uncompetitive. It should make the system simpler and fairer.”

So why is Mr. Obama rolling out this plan now? MSNBC’s Chuck Todd points out— the announcement comes around the same time GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is expected to talk taxes.

“We know what the Obama folks are up to. It’s a political release. But they’re announcing today a lowering of the corporate tax rate. Again, eyes always on the ball when it comes to Romney.”

But true problem solving or publicity stunt? A blogger for Slate says, there are several reasons why this is a smart move by the president.

“First, this will be a move even the GOP House will have trouble resisting... Secondly, it will highlight the pragmatic side of Obama … appealing to the great American middle – the real prize in any US presidential election.”

But as The Huffington Post notes—

“Such a plan is unlikely to please Obama's critics on the left, who argue that companies enjoy so many tax breaks that they end up paying far less than their fair share.”

The Associated Press notes — the administration is purposely leaving a lot of details out of the tax outline, leaving it to Congress to compromise on the specifics. But as analyst Greg Valliere tells Bloomberg— lawmakers won’t work it out anytime soon.

“In effect, the White House is saying, ‘Hey! We’re in favor of tax reform!’ Even though they know there’s virtually no chance of getting anything done this year.”

According to Fox Business— If the president’s plan does go through, it would be the first corporate tax code reform in 25 years.

Debate Preview: A GOP Tug-of-War

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:15:00 -0600

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(Image Source: ONNTv.com)

BY MEREDITH BALDWIN

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

CNN says it’s gonna get “cozy” at Wednesday night’s debate. But there’s a lot on the table for the four GOP presidential candidates. Here’s Phoenix, Arizona’s KSAZ:

“Three weeks ago they were worried that this debate may not happen or may not have much drama because of it. But the Santorum surge has made it dramatic. All of the marbles.”

The GOP race has become much more complicated in recent weeks. Santorum made a comeback, winning the February 7th primaries in Colorado and Minnesota — as well as Missouri’s non-binding caucus. CNN — who’s sponsoring the debate — says...

"The stakes are enormous, not just because there's been no debate for a month, but also because no more are scheduled before Super Tuesday."

But while most analysts say all eyes will be on Santorum — MSNBC suggests it’s Newt Gingrich who needs a good night.

“Now the former speaker's performance tonight could be his last big chance to make a major impression with voters in the coming primaries and Super Tuesday.”

Gun control, immigration and the economy are expected to be the talkers of the night. Arizona’s Republican Chairman tells KNXV these topics could be game changers in the race.

“The volatility that we’re seeing - I’ve never seen anything like this.”

A Politico blog Wednesday argues that volatility is the result of a weak field and that Republicans simply are scrambling to choose between four mediocre candidates, with several taking turns as frontrunners in the nomination race.

“Faced with a Democratic incumbent who appears shockingly weak to them, the Republicans have been unable to find a big nominee with a big voice to oppose him. … There are the fantasists who think that somebody — Sarah Palin, Chris Christie, Mitch Daniels, Jeb Bush — can ride into the Republican National Convention in Tampa in late August and ride out with the nomination. But that’s not going to happen.”

The Republican hopefuls face off on CNN Wednesday night at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

SCOTUS to Revisit College Affirmative Action

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:15:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Flickr/LauraPadgett)

BY VICTORIA CRAIG

A Supreme Court decision thought to remain valid for at least 25 years is up for debate again...16 years early.

This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will determine the constitutionality of using race as a factor in the college admissions process. Atlanta’s WAGA explains what sparked the renewed discussion.

“A white student brought the case saying the University of Texas denied her admission because of her race.”

The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case comes a decade after a landmark decision in Grutter vs. Bollinger, which granted colleges and universities the ability to choose whether they would use race as a factor in the admissions process to ensure adequate diversity in the student body. Fox Business outlines the UT policy that reignited debate.

“Texas has a very unique system of allowing everybody in the top ten percent to come on in, whatever race you are. And then after that, they take race as one of many, many factors.”

There are strong opinions on both sides of the argument. Bloomberg reports if the court decides to eliminate race as a factor, schools will then rely on socio-economic background information — which would likely result in the same outcomes during admissions.

“Looking at the 146 most selective colleges and universities, [a 2004 Century Foundation] study concluded that blacks and Latinos would account for 4 percent of the student body if admissions were based solely on grades and test scores. Race-based affirmative action increased that number to 12 percent. Had it been used instead, socio-economic affirmative action would have produced a 10 percent figure.”

But opponents of overturning the court’s 2003 decision say there’s still a need to lend a helping hand to those who face strong barriers. A writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer says race is still an issue.

“It's not wrong to crave a post-racial America, where skin color has absolutely no bearing on a person's ability to succeed. But there are too many signs - disparities in education, poverty, and health - that we’re not there yet.”

But many say the court is likely to overturn its original decision. Fox Business’ Andrew Napolitano explains that’s because the court has a different makeup than it did when it handed down its 2003 decision.

“The swing vote is now Justice Anthony Kennedy. By swing vote, I mean the person who frequently breaks the tie between the four liberals and the four conservatives. Justice Kennedy dissented in that University of Michigan case back in 2003.”

Adding to the likelihood of a reversal, Justice Elana Kagan, an Obama appointee, will not hear arguments in the case or be involved in the decision. The Wall Street Journal explains why.

“The Obama administration fought to squelch the case in the lower courts, taking the unusual step of filing a brief on the university's side at the Fifth Circuit. … Justice Elena Kagan, solicitor general when the Obama administration filed that brief, recused herself from the Fisher case.”

The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in this case in October — just weeks before the 2012 presidential election.

American, French Journalists Killed in Syria

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:49:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Sunday Times/ Julien De Rosa)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

Syrian opposition activists say two Western journalists — an American and a Frenchman — were killed Wednesday in a bombing in besieged Homs. Here’s HLN.

“The violence in Syria has claimed two of the few voices who've been getting info from the inside Syria to you at home. Two western journalists were killed in a bombing there this morning.”

A French government spokesperson says the killed journalists were veteran American war reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik. (Video: NBC)

Reports say at least 17 people were killed in Wednesday’s attack. The BBC says the journalists were staying in a house that was acting as a media center...

“...when it was hit by a shell ... Rockets were also said to have hit the building's garden when people tried to flee afterwards. At least three other foreign journalists were wounded, activists said.”

Just hours before she died, Marie Colvin talked to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about the violence she’s witnessed in Syria. She also reported from Misrata when the civil war raged in Libya last year, and says — Syria’s situation is worse.

Colvin: “There’s nowhere to run. The Syrian army is holding the perimeters. And there’s far more ordnance being poured into the city...”

Colvin has been London Sunday Times’ foreign correspondent for more than two decades. She lost her left eye while covering a conflict in Sri Lanka. She was in her 50s. Meanwhile, just last month, Ochlik won a World Press Photo Award for his coverage of Libya. He was in his late 20s. (Video: KOIN)

Al Jazeera reports Syria’s opposition is close to believing a military intervention is the only way out of the Syria situation.

“The opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) said on Wednesday it was coming to the view that military intervention was the only solution to the nearly year-old crisis in the country. [An SNC spokeswoman said:] ‘We are really close to seeing this military intervention as the only solution. There are two evils, military intervention or protracted civil war[.]’”

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross continues to push for a two-hour daily truce so humanitarian aid can be delivered to civilians.

GOP Rivals, Team Obama Aim Fire at Santorum

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:00:06 -0600

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Image source: Wikimedia Commons

BY ZACH TOOMBS

A new ad from Ron Paul marks the latest round in a barrage of attacks against Rick Santorum. The former Pennsylvania senator’s recent success has made him a big target for his GOP rivals.

“Is this dude serious? Fiscal conservative? Really? Santorum voted to raise the debt ceiling five times, doubled the size of the Department of Education, then supported the biggest entitlement expansion since the ‘60s.”

On the verge of a major upset in Michigan over Mitt Romney, Santorum is polling high and gaining newfound attention.

RealClearPolitics shows Santorum has climbed to an almost-six percent lead nationally — up to 34 percent support in an average of the polls tracking the race.

But with more support from the electorate comes more scrutiny for Santorum. And, as NBC Nightly News reports, the spotlight has not been kind to the candidate in the last few days.

“For Rick Santorum, his recent frontrunner status is forcing him to backtrack and explain some of his campaign’s more highly-charged rhetoric.”

“It’s about some phony ideal... some phony theology.”

And in another sign of the candidate’s growing strength, the president’s campaign turned its sights away from the typical target of Romney and toward Santorum. Los Angeles Times cites a memo released Tuesday by Team Obama.

"‘As Sen. Santorum has risen in the polls, the scrutiny of his policies will follow.’ [Obama’s campaign spokesman] also criticized the Republican for focusing ‘on issues that divide Americans rather than issues that the American people are focused on right now,’ like the economy.”

Although Santorum has faced heat from Republicans and Democrats alike, Dan Balz of The Washington Post writes he could be a tough target... if he presents himself in the right way.

“GOP strategist [Terry] Holt said Santorum may not be more conservative than many others in the party, ‘but he’s said and done things that are off-key’... ‘This is his moment to shine … but now it becomes not so much a matter of ideology but of tone. There’s no question that he’s very conservative. Now it’s how he handles questions that will be the test.’”

Newsy Now: February 22 (1300 GMT)

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:39:52 -0600

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(Image source: Al Jazeera)

BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

Heavy shelling in Homs, Syria kills two Western journalists — according to opposition activists. CNN reports…

“The American is Marie Colvin, who reported from Syria — for us actually just hours ago and Frenchman Remi Ochlik. Syrian activists say they were killed during heavy shelling in the city of Homs.”

The UN’s nuclear inspectors have come up empty in Iran for the second time in as many months. Iran maintains its nuclear operation isn’t a military one. But officials won’t let members of the UN’s watchdog group check out what they want. Here’s euronews…

“…talks with Iran have failed over its disputed atomic activities. … a senior team from the International Atomic Energy Agency has been unable to get permission to visit the key military site at Parchin.”

A second day of protests in Afghanistan. People there aren’t happy with the alleged burning of the Quran by American troops. The BBC reports the protests are now growing violent.

“…at least 10 people being brought to one Kabul hospital with gunshot wounds, that’s coming from a doctor at that hospital.”

Australian foreign minister Kevin Rudd resigned his post after accusations surfaced claiming he’s trying to unseat the country’s prime minister. A New York Times report says Rudd feels he no longer has the support of his country’s leader, and — as a result — can’t serve on her cabinet any longer.

In the U.S., reports say President Barack Obama will propose lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 to 28 percent. It’s currently the highest in the world. This morning, Fox News commentators covered the proposed change to the tax code.

“It’s basically a global tax. You’ve extended a global-tax net to catch any American company that makes a dime overseas, regardless of whether they bring that money back to America or not.”

Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

The Two Tales of Holiday Retail

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:05 -0600

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(Image: TMO news)

BY DAVID EARL

It turns out Walmart didn’t have such a happy holiday after it got done counting all of its Christmas cash. While the mega-retailer sold more stuff this holiday season, it didn’t make the post-holiday profit Wall Street was expecting. Bloomberg has the headline...

“Fourth-quarter earnings came up short of estimates, the world’s largest retailer chain emphasized low prices during the final three months of the year, and that did hurt their margin.”

Forbes seems surprised that the retailer known for those always low prices didn’t have a better showing in what was supposed to be another recession-filled holiday shopping season.

“Conventional wisdom says retail giant Wal-Mart should thrive amid slower economic growth as consumers look for the best prices and one-stop shopping.”

The news out of Walmart wasn’t entirely unexpected. The Wall Street Journal cites a campaign by the company to win back market share after sales dipped the past few years.

“What we saw today is that Walmart is winning back that market share, but it’s coming at a cost in that its profit margins are going down.”

So Walmart sells more but makes less. But to make things weirder...luxury retailer Sak’s Fifth Avenue and kind-of-luxury retailer Macy’s each had one heck of a holiday. Here’s the deets on their earnings from Barron’s.

“Macy’s posted EPS of $1.70, which was higher than its own guidance range of $1.63 to $1.65 and analysts expectations for $1.65. Same store sales rose 5.2% in the quarter, [while] Saks rode strong luxury spending to a better than expected quarter, posting 17 cents of EPS, three cents ahead of expectations.”

So it’s the tale of two holidays, for two different types of retailers. Shares of Macy’s and Sak’s finished higher in Tuesday trading. Walmart shares plunged 15 percent.

Moneyball Meets Mannyball: A's Sign Suspended Ramirez

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:04 -0600

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(Image Source: Deadspin.com)

BY TOM MARTIN

Fresh off his recent retirement, Manny Ramirez will make his revivalist return to baseball Friday -- this time as a member of the Oakland Athletics.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal thinks Mannyball and Moneyball make a fine fit:

“Manny, at this stage of his career, is the ultimate low-risk investment. The A’s, quite frankly, have nothing to lose. The way they see this, Manny is like a one-dollar stock option.”

Manny’s minor league deal is for a relatively cheap half mil -- and depending on his performance, he’s either a low-cost steal or an easy-to-afford cut. MLB.com’s Richard Justice wonders which Manny will materialize.

“There's no way of knowing if he has anything left in the tank. He's three years removed from his last really productive season … Now, his career is hanging by a thread. He'll be 40-years-old by the time he serves a 50-game suspension [for steroid use], and who knows how long it'll take him to play himself into shape?”

Some say Manny’s best days are behind him -- but could he still contribute? Athletics Nation thinks he could transfer a few tips to Oakland’s youth movement:

“The other thing is maybe Manny can help teach [Yoenis] Cespedes a few things or two about hitting … If you're going to have a 26-year-old adjusting to life in the bigs, why not have him learn some things from arguably the greatest right-handed hitter of our generation?”

Manny, the role model? The San Jose Mercury News’ Mark Purdy disagrees. He thinks Manny could end up blocking more paths than he paves:

“His presence might have some value as an amusing sideshow unless you actually care about the A's alleged rebuilding plan … Ramirez is hardly in the setting-an-example business. And he will take away some at-bats from the younger talents … What, then, is Ramirez doing in an A's uniform?”

ESPN’s Buster Olney, says, this deal is much more complex than that. Behind a short-term Manny signing is a long-term A’s plan:

“It’s all about loading up for 2015-2016. They’re hopeful that at some point they’re going to get some positive resolution from major league baseball to build a ballpark in San Jose.”

Til then, the A’s will take their chances with Ramirez -- that is, once his 50-game suspension has passed.

Lawmaker: Girl Scouts Promote Homosexuality

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:03 -0600

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(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Ahh, the Girl Scouts. They sell cookies, teach character and — promote homosexuality?!

Wait — what was that last part? Here’s KSDK.

“State representative Bob Morris calls the Girl Scouts a radicalized organization that supports abortion and promotes a homosexual lifestyle.”

So a little back story here — Indiana’s House wanted to pass a non-binding resolution celebrating the Girl Scouts’ 100th anniversary. That’s when the Republican state rep says he did some research online.

WTHR has more from the letter he sent fellow lawmakers, where he cites role models listed in the Girl Scouts education seminar.

“Of the fifty role models listed, only three have a briefly-mentioned religious background - all the rest, he says, are feminists, lesbians, or communists.”

We took a look at the letter — in which Morris tells fellow lawmakers First Lady Michelle Obama is an honorary president of the Girl Scouts of America — and quote “the Obama’s are radically pro-abortion and vigorously support the agenda of Planned Parenthood.”

This isn’t the first time conservatives have charged the Scouts with promoting a liberal agenda.

A Fox News story that ran in late December suggested just that — talking to a former Girl Scout who told the network,

“They promise to be neutral politically, and about certain social issues, but when you examine the women that they promote … there is a clear liberal ideology.”

But Morris’ letter has prompted more than a few sneers in the blogosphere — with one Jezebel blogger sarcastically writing...

“He really has gone out of his way to make it known just how much he can't stand this nefarious bunch of macaroni-necklace-making, s'more-eating devil children.”

As for the Girl Scouts’ response — the organization says Morris’ charges just aren’t true. WFXT summarizes.

“The Girl Scouts say listen, misinformation here is passing fact for this representative. And that they don't take a stand on anything that he talks about and they promote strength in young women and that’s about it.”

World's First Test Tube Burger in the Works

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:00:02 -0600

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(Image source: The Mirror/Dr. Mark Post)

BY JESSICA SIBERT

The world’s first lab-grown burger is in the works. Dutch scientists are attempting to create a meat patty grown from a cow’s stem cells — and creator Mark Post tells CBC it could be produced as early as October of this year.

“It’s still very small pieces and too small to actually cook right now, so we’re now gearing up to produce a golf-ball size of this stuff and then cook it.”

Post says the project, funded by an anonymous donor, could greatly reduce the number of cows farmed and slaughtered for food — and therefore reduce one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. (Video source: CNN)

But a writer for Jezebel says the idea of it, well, just sounds gross.

“In theory, being able to make artificial meat in a lab sounds great ... but then there's the actual reality of it, which at the moment is sitting in a petri dish in the Netherlands and is described as a ‘yellow-pink sliver the size of a corn plaster.’ Terrific, because who doesn't love eating meat that looks like a used band-aid?

Post says he hopes Heston Blumenthal, the experimental celeb chef, will cook the patty come ceremony time next fall — but it has not yet been decided who will get to eat it. Either way though, a PETA spokesman told the Examiner it has the organization’s approval.

“This is meat produced without the cruelty, carbon footprint or waste of resources… PETA has no objection to the eating of meat. PETA objects to the killing of animals and their exploitation.”

But a writer for the Telegraph says this “Frankenstein-like” creation is just wrong.

“Technologies such as this unnerve us because they interfere with the magnificently sedate process of evolution. We like to think what we eat is unaltered and as natural as possible.”

And if you’re planning to try your first test-tube burger come production time, a reporter for ABC says you should probably start saving up.

“Scientists hope it will be the answer to feeding a global population that will hit 9 billion by 2050. But it will be some time before it's a cheap fast food option. Right now, the first test-tube burger is costing $300,000 to produce.”

The Politics of Gas Prices

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:01 -0600

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Image: PT News

BY JING LIU

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

You're watching multisource global video news analysis from Newsy.

While Americans are complaining about sudden spike in gas prices, the Republican candidates are treating is as a new weapon against President Obama.

Here’s Exhibit A, courtesy CNN.

SANTORUM: “All of a sudden they're going to be hit with the same force of wind that hit us in 2008 in the summer that caused us to go into a recession. All because of the radical environmentalist policies of this president.”

But The New York Times notes — the Obama administration is preparing to strike back.

“A counterattack being planned by the Obama re-election team in Chicago is expected to point out, among other things, Mitt Romney’s actions to raise gas taxes when he was governor of Massachusetts. And Mr. Obama’s Democratic allies on Capitol Hill are eager to renew a nationwide discussion about tax subsidies to oil companies.”

Getting political with gas prices is nothing new. In 2004, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry blamed President Bush for the $1.80 average gas price.

And according to Ology, President Obama used the same strategy in 2008 to criticize President Bush’s record on gas price.

“’We need a President who is looking out for families in Indiana, not just multi-national corporations, and that’s the kind of President I intend to be.’”

And now it’s Mr. Obama’s turn to be the target.

But is there anything he or any other president can really do about the rising gas prices?

ABC’s Jake Tapper says - not so much.

“Short term, George, there’s a little that the president can do other than releasing gas from the strategic patrol in ….(flash)...But long term, there’s more than the president can do. ”

But Republicans contend there IS more the president can do. Newt Gingrich told Fox News — if he were president — he’d have a few tricks up his sleeve.

“If the American president tonight announced that he was opening up the Gulf of Mexico, where he already has all the rigs available and if he announced they were gonna open up federal lands, you would see the futures expectation of gasoline prices start to drop tomorrow morning.”

On Monday, the price of a barrel of crude oil surged to $105. The national average price of a gallon of gasoline

Muslim Groups Call for Probe of NYPD Surveillance

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:50:56 -0600

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(Image source: Yale MSA)

BY ALLYSON BROWN

In 2009 — Rutgers University found out the New York Police Department was monitoring its Muslim students.

Now — Muslim groups are calling for a probe — and as the International Business Times reports — the surveillance might have gone farther than that New Jersey campus.

“... the NYPD had been spying on Muslim organizations around New York City. However, recent evidence shows that the network of spying may not have just been limited to the city but extended across the Northeast to at least 16 colleges and universities.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a press release asking Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy to protect the rights of Muslim Student Associations. A CAIR spokesperson told WWLP she’s not surprised by the NYPD’s actions.

"This particular revelation does not come as a surprise to me because they've looked at the MSA's as being a source of what they claim to be radical Islam…”

Then there’s the issue of jurisdiction. An editorial in the New Jersey Herald News says...

“The NYPD may be a large operation but it's still just a municipal force — or supposed to be. … Keeping the metropolitan region safe from violence is an important and daunting task, but it should not require out-of-state law enforcement with no credible tip of terrorist activities to spy on students of one religion.”

Several of the universities affected have esponded, saying they’re dedicated to protecting their students’ rights. But one panelist on Fox News’ “The Five” applauds the NYPD, saying they need to spend their resources looking where the threats are.

“But the cops are right. They eye these groups because they attract young Muslim men, a key terror demographic. But maybe we should have the cops also track Girl Scouts too, just to be fair.”

In fact, the NYPD says suspected terrorists like failed Christmas Day underwear bomber Umar Farouq Abdulmattalab got their start in Muslim student associations. And — the agency says it follows the same rules as the FBI. But a former FBI assistant director tells CBS this sort of monitoring wasn't allowed when he was with the agency.

“The federal standards are we couldn’t do anything either when I was in the FBI or the LAPD where it was activities protected by the constitution, freedom of speech.”

According to the Associated Press — an NYPD spokesman says the agency did monitor student websites — but only between 2006 and 2007.

Bryant to Lakers: Make a Decision on Gasol

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:30:10 -0600

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Image Source: (FoxSports.com)

BY TOM MARTIN

LA Lakers center Pau Gasol’s name keeps popping up in trade talks — and his star sidekick Kobe Bryant is sick of it.

After a loss to the struggling Phoenix Suns, Bryant told reporters Lakers management needs to make a decision. SBNation has the video.

“I rather them not trade him but if you’re gonna do it, [expletive] do it already. If you’re not gonna do it, come out and say don’t do it ... If your head’s on the chopping block and you feel like you’re just waiting, it’s tough to put all of yourself into the game.”

Gasol gossip dates back to December, when LA tried to trade him to the Houston Rockets. NBA commissioner David Stern struck down the deal -- and there’s been trade chatter ever since. But as Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Sports Illustrated, Pau is probably staying put.

"The likelihood is that this is the team that's going to finish into the playoffs. That's just the way it normally works, but we'll see."

Bryant says “we’ll see” won’t cut it, but according to CBS Sports, it’s not his choice to make:

“A definitive public statement on Gasol's future would really paint the Lakers into a corner … There are two [dueling] goals here -- getting Gasol comfortable and doing whatever it takes to upgrade the Lakers roster -- and it's impossible for Lakers management to do both right now.”

A writer for ESPN LA doesn’t mind Kobe’s comments -- but thinks Gasol needs to step it up:

“During fits of waning effectiveness, Pau doesn't appear to be dogging it out of dissatisfaction or indifference. He does, however, appear visibly distracted and periodically unfocused … Along these particular lines, he's failing, and that's on him."

If you ask Ball Don’t Lie’s Kelly Dwyer, the Lakers need to keep their focus on the court:

“The unfortunate truth is the Lakers, even as top-heavy as they are, have the pieces to mount a significant playoff run. They have to play smarter. No trade or extinguishing of rumors will make up for the spotty decision-making.”

The NBA trade deadline is March 15. For now, Gasol says he’s well aware of the rumors but that he quote- “understands.”

Man Burns New Jersey Flag Over Tribute to Whitney Houston

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:00:08 -0600

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(Image source: mercatus.org)

BY BRICE SANDER

The state of New Jersey lowered flags to half-mast over the weekend out of respect for Whitney Houston, whose funeral was held Saturday in Newark. Not everyone agreed with the move, including one Michigan man who burned the New Jersey state flag in protest. WOOD-TV has the video.

“John Burri’s son, a 20-year-old Army specialist, died in Iraq in 2005 when his Humvee was hit by an I.E.D. Now Burri says lowering a state flag should be reserved for men and women in uniform.”

Burri attached the New Jersey flag to his car, dragging it as he drove by his son’s grave site, before burning it. The Detroit News spoke with Burri, who says lowering the flag in honor of an entertainer is a “slap in the face.”

“‘It cheapens the meaning of lowering that flag,’ said Burri, 60. ‘They're watering down the meaning of a hero … It was $12.95 and it was the best money I ever spent,’ he said. While the move might spark patriotic furor, it isn't illegal.”

The Beaumont Enterprise weighed the pros and cons on the issue, and sides with Burri.

“That is a rare honor that must be reserved for those who have sacrificed for society, not just contributed to it … Baseball catcher Gary Carter died last week too. Does he deserve the flag-lowering honor in his home state? Of course not.”

But as the anchors at Phoenix’s KNXV discuss, while the move was out of the ordinary, it wasn’t unprecedented in the garden state.

“Clarence Clemons, he was honored, with the lowering of the flag and nobody raised an eyebrow when that happened. People mainly, I think, are so upset because they’re saying, ‘She was a drug addict!’ But she was so much more.”

And that’s exactly the stance New Jersey governor Chris Christie took on the issue when he sat down with CNN’s Piers Morgan.

CHRIS CHRISTIE: “She made great contributions to this state, to its culture. And I don’t believe that succumbing to an addiction and a disease should diminish that in people’s eyes. And I understand that people are going to have a difference of opinion on this. But I’m the governor and I get to make these decisions.”

Burri later told news outlets that he meant no disrespect to the people of New Jersey. He just wanted to quote -- “show how much it hurt.”

Newsy Now: February 21 (1315 GMT)

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:21:17 -0600

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(Image Source: BBC)

BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

Greece gets closer to a fresh financial start this morning, as eurozone finance ministers approve a $170 billion bailout for the struggling country. Euronews explains what got the deal done.

“…Athens has committed to deeper cuts, which are unlikely to revive an already beleaguered economy. Harsher austerity will be hard to sell to Greek people already protesting on an almost daily basis.”

The International Committee of Red Cross is asking for a two-hour daily truce in Syria, so humanitarian aid can be delivered. But members of the opposition tell Al Jazeera they don’t think the Red Cross is being fair, and their side hasn’t heard from the group.

“One opposition group in Homs now says nobody from the organization has been in contact with them, and seemed to criticize the terms of the initiative, saying it favored the Assad regime.”

Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is being questioned as part of an inquiry into an alleged French prostitution ring. Reports say Strauss-Kahn asked investigators to question him last year, saying it would clear his name. CNN has more.

“Dominique Strauss-Kahn is in trouble again. You might remember here in the city, there was all that press because he was charged with the attempted rape of a hotel worker in New York.”

Rick Santorum leads Mitt Romney by 10 percentage points in the GOP race, according to Politico. But neither candidate is on a hot streak in the media, according to MSNBC…

“…part of running for president is controlling the national media narrative. In the national media narrative, Santorum’s having a horrible 96 hours, but this thing of Romney’s — from Thursday — lives on. Not just on this program, but you hear people talking about it all over the place.”

Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

Britain's 'Downton Abbey' Becomes U.S. Hit

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:00:02 -0600

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(Image source: PBS)

BY MICHAEL COLLINS

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

British period drama ‘Downton Abbey’ is making serious waves in American households, with a phenomenal surge in popularity following the Season 2 finale Sunday evening for the PBS show. NBC reports.

“Another story of British aristocracy and the people who work for them, has taken America by storm, and fair warning, there is something highly addictive about this show according to a lot of American viewers.”

This year, Downton Abbey entered the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘most critically acclaimed English-language television show’ of 2011. Due to the popularity of the show, the Burlington Free Press reports -

“There’s renewed interest in how rich Brits once lived in splendor largely thanks to the efforts of their lowly employees.”

And KING gives one example ...

“Seattle fans of the PBS show ‘Downton Abbey’ are pushing it to ever higher ratings. The show is so popular in the Seattle area, KCTS is consistently the No. 1 or No. 2 PBS station in the country for ‘Abbey’ ratings. Last Sunday's two-hour episode was second only to the Grammy Awards in the Seattle market.”

KCTS says the show’s ratings this year are 50 percent higher than last. With six primetime Emmys and a golden globe award, fans eagerly look to Season 3 of the classical masterpiece series, set to air in September.

Whitney Houston's Belongings Up For Auction

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:17:49 -0600

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(Image Source: WhitneyHouston.com)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

Whitney Houston has been dead for a little over a week -- but items that once belonged to her are already going up for auction. NY1 reports.

“Celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien say a black velvet dress and earrings she wore in The Bodyguard are among the items that became available after her death.”

The auction was planned before her death and will also feature items owned by Charlie Chaplin and other celebrities. It’s unclear where or who Julien got the items from. But -- is it all too soon? WSVN says yes.

“Some say too soon. The auction house says it’s a celebration of Whitney’s life. Celebration of life, cashing in on someone’s life …”

TMZ says Houston’s fortune is already a family concern -- reporting that people close to Houston emptied the hotel room in which she died of all items so that looters couldn’t profit from her death. TMZ’s Dax Holt tells KTTV …

“They thought ahead and said, if we’re gonna leave stuff in this room, then people will come in, they will grab it and put it up on eBay or whatever kind of auction site and try to make money off of her death.”

And the status of Houston’s personal estate is unknown. But ABC News reports...

“While there were recent reports that Houston was struggling financially, the sales of her music after her death will improve the condition of her estate … Michael Jackson sold over 8 million albums in the U.S. alone in the six months after his death, and close to 30 million worldwide.”

ABC says Houston’s estate probably won’t earn as much as Jackson’s because he had song-writing and publishing royalties -- while Houston only sang her tunes. Forbes points out more concerns. It’s unclear who the beneficiary, or beneficiaries, of Houston’s will are. Forbes says it’s most likely her daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

But some media are reporting Bobbi Kristina’s family wants her in rehab for substance abuse, and Forbes says …

“If that’s the case, then family members could go to court, try to have her declared legally incompetent to manage her finances, and seek a conservatorship over her. Who would have standing to do this? Bobby Brown for one. It could be the legal avenue he may try to use to seek control of the money, which is what Whitney’s mother and other family members are reportedly afraid of.”

And after it all, it’s another celebrity who will definitely make money after Houston’s death -- Dolly Parton. She co-wrote what’s arguably Houston’s most popular song -- ‘I Will Always Love You.’

ESPN Fires Employee Over Lin Headline: Media Reacts

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:28:00 -0600

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(Image Source: ESPN)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

On Sunday, ESPN announced it had fired the employee who posted an offensive headline on Friday.

The headline was for a story about New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin -- and contained a word sometimes used as a negative racial term for Chinese people.

The network also handed out a 30-day suspension to an anchor who used the same phrase on air. But is the response appropriate? ESPN, the employee who was fired and the anchor have all apologized …

… the anchor noted on Twitter that his own wife is Asian, and he meant no harm. Lin says -- no worries.

“They’ve apologized. From my end, I don’t care anymore. I’ve learned to forgive, and I don’t even think that was intentional, or hopefully not.”

Deadspin says of ESPN’s response …

“...better safe than sorry. [The employee is] gone. The [anchor] suspension seems a bit harsh for what appeared to be a Freudian slip of the tongue (rather than, for instance, a premeditated, written headline), but there’s always collateral damage with these things.”

But Yahoo! Sports calls the firing “extreme.”

“...to fire a guy when there was no apparent malice involved? … What's wrong with … using this as a teachable situation? … Now you fire the guy, extend a story that people were going to forget anyway within two weeks, and now this person is out of a job for doing something that just didn't click to him as wrong …”

And what about other outlets that have been similarly, and perhaps inappropriately -- pun happy with Lin stories? Saturday Night Live parodied the puns this weekend.

“As the New York Post says, he’s ‘Amasian!’ (laughter)
“He turned Kobe into Kobe beef!”
“And Kobe’s like, ‘Hey! I ordered fried chicken.’”
“Hey - hey, what’s up with that man?” (laughter)

A writer for The Huffington Post says with all the borderline puns across the board, the ESPN incident was bound to happen somewhere.

“ ... the goofiness, the puns, the sudden inclusion on the national stage of All-Star weekend and the dedicated merchandise booth at Madison Square Garden -- all that is undoubtedly linked, in part, to his race. And it's okay to celebrate it … but don't act surprised when it suddenly goes awry, like it did with ESPN's headline.”

Missing Girl's Remains Found in Rapist's Home

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:53 -0600

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(Image Source: The Lima News)

BY EMILY SPAIN

You're watching multisource U.S. news analysis from Newsy.

Authorities in Ohio have found the remains of a 14-year-old girl who’s been missing for more than 10 years.

Nicholle Coppler’s skeleton was found at the former home of Glen Fryer — the main suspect in her disappearance. Fryer committed suicide in his jail cell in 2002 while awaiting sentencing for raping a 12-year-old girl.

Demolition crews discovered Coppler’s remains inside Fryer’s house in a crawl space. Despite Fryer’s death, authorities tell The Lima News— the investigation isn’t over and that others might have been involved in Coppler’s death.

“It must be emphasized that locating Nicholle finally does not close this investigation, the Lima Police Department will now be investigating Nicholle Coppler’s death as a homicide.”

The Daily Mail reports officers also came across Coppler’s diary in the home. The outlet says authorities believe Fryer took part in human trafficking and was trying to force Coppler into prostitution. Investigators think when she wouldn’t comply — she was killed.

“In the last entries, the teenager reportedly said she was sorry for running away and wanted to go back to her family - but that the people she was with wouldn't let her leave.”

Local police and FBI agents looked for Coppler years ago and even searched Fryer’s house with trained dogs and ground-penetrating radar equipment. But they found nothing.
Coppler’s mom tells WLIO— local officials did a poor job with the initial search, but hopes recent changes in state laws will prevent this from happening to other girls.

“What’s come about with the changes of how they handle it is because of Nicholle, so if in Nicholle’s name if she can save some other girls, you know at least something good has come out of it.”

The police department must now immediately report and assign an officer to a missing persons case— along with putting the information in a national database— within 24 hours. Authorities say they haven’t yet determined exactly how Coppler died.

Transcript by Newsy.

Avalanche Kills Three Advanced Skiers

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:38:06 -0600

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(Image: ABC News)

BY STACEY WELSH

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

Three experienced skiers died Sunday when an avalanche swept them about 2,000 feet down the side of a Washington mountain. KING-TV interviewed a witness who saw the group head toward an area called “Seventh Heaven.”

“I was thinking to myself you know that's a lot of people going out-of-bounds at this moment … but 14 inches of new snow and people want to get some more fresh powder, you know they're going to go seek it out.”

A sergeant from the King County Sheriff’s Office tells CNN — the skiers had appropriate equipment and although the area was out-of-bounds, they were allowed to be there.

“It’s an out-of-bounds area. Typically you’re going to have the more experienced skiers, if they choose to ski this area. Which, they do so at their own risk.”

Those killed were a part of a group of about 12 skiers who were caught in the avalanche. CBS reports, most of the skiers were able to dig their way out of the snow, but they couldn’t save three others, including...

“...Jim Jack, a former extreme skier who judged ‘free-skiing’ competitions around the world. Friends say he was on the mountain making a video with Chris Rudolph, a marketing director for the Stevens Pass ski area. A third man, John Brenan, also died.”

Pro skier Elyse Saugstad survived the accident by deploying a safety airbag backpack that helped her rise out of the snow. She shared her experience with ABC News.

“It’s not like you’re having an inner tube ride down the snow. It’s definitely not like that. You are still very much in the avalanche itself. It’s kind of like you’re in a washing machine.”

ABC reports the Northwest Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche warning before the accident. Police officials confirmed the group knew about the warning.

Santorum Defends Critique of Obama's 'Theology'

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:30:06 -0600

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Image source: The New York Times

BY ZACH TOOMBS

GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum is catching flack for a critique of what he calls the president’s “phony theology.” The candidate made the comment in a speech to Tea Party conservatives Saturday in Ohio.

“It’s not about your quality of life. It’s not about your jobs. It’s about some phony ideal — some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, but a different theology.”

Santorum’s critics say that comment was a thinly veiled hit on President Obama’s faith. Robert Gibbs — an Obama campaign strategist — said as much on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.

“I can’t help but think that those remarks are well over-the-line. It’s wrong. It’s destructive. It makes it virtually impossible to solve the problems that we all face together as Americans.”

Also on the Sunday show circuit, CBS’ Bob Schieffer asked Santorum for an explanation.

SCHIEFFER: “What in the world were you talking about?”

SANTORUM: “I’ve repeatedly said I don’t question the president’s faith. I’ve repeatedly said that I believe the president’s a Christian. He says he’s a Christian. But I am talking about his worldview.”

As Politico reports, Santorum went on to say his comments were more directed at radical environmentalists than at the president.

“This idea that man is here to serve the earth as opposed to husband its resources and be good stewards of the earth... I think that is a phony ideal...We're not here to serve the earth. The earth is not the objective, man is the objective. I think a lot of radical environmentalists have it upside down."

On the Article VI blog, covering politics and religion, contributor John Schroeder gives his take. The self-described politically moderate evangelical writes Santorum’s remarks make him unfit for the role of commander-in-chief.

“...his truly intolerant comments concerning Obama pretty well disqualify him from holding office. It is simply not the president’s job to be judging whose theology is correct and whose is not.

And The New York Times writes hitting Obama on religion is nothing new in the political landscape.

“Veiled suggestions that Mr. Obama is not a Christian — or not an American — have been an element of fringe politics since the last presidential election. It go sot bad in 2008... that (John) McCain took back the microphone from a woman at one of his rallies who asserted that Mr. Obama was “an Arab.” Mr. McCain then corrected the woman.”

With the crucial Michigan primary just eight days away, Santorum is holding a six-point lead in polls over the candidate who leads the GOP delegate race — Mitt Romney.

Newsy Now: February 20 (1315 GMT)

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:29:23 -0600

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(Image Source: Flickr/Andy Kowalik)

BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

Greece awaits a new $3.2 billion bailout this morning after approving another round of austerity measures over the weekend. Eurozone finance ministers will meet today to make a final decision. BBC News spoke with a union leader who says this isn’t the solution.

“Austerity policies are dead-end policies. What’s needed is to strengthen development, to strengthen real income, to have employment, because — only that way — can the recession and the crisis in our country and Europe be overcome.”

Oil prices are up and the International Atomic Energy Agency is paying Iran a visit. Both are reactions to Iran’s latest decision. euronews reports…

“The five-member team of U.N. inspectors from what is known as the IAEA are in Tehran in the wake of Sunday’s announcement that Iran will stop exporting oil to Britain and France.”

An avalanche killed three skiers in Washington state Sunday. It happened near Stevens Pass ski resort in the Cascade Mountains. Here’s MSNBC…

“A fourth skier who was wearing a safety device survived. They were swept more than a quarter-mile down.”

A helicopter and a small plane collided over Northern California Sunday night. Both pilots survived with hardly any injuries. CNN has this exchange between a reporter and a fire chief on-scene.

REPORTER: “How unusual is it to have a midair collision between a helicopter and a plane, no one injured, the pilot — nothing but a scrape on the hand, it looked like. I mean, this is not normally the outcome.”

FIRE CHIEF: “No. Very, very unusual.”

(AOC)
Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

FDA to Investigate Inhalable Caffeine

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:30:10 -0600

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(Image Source: AeroShot)

BY KYLIE MCGIVERN

From Starbucks, to Red Bull, to 5-Hour Energy Drink, the latest attempt to fill that caffeine fix - caffeine inhalers - is now under investigation.

Here’s Our Colorado News with a certified personal trainer’s take on the trend.

“At first glance, it sounds like the latest health supplement, until you learn that in large doses caffeine can cause heart palpitations, stomach irritation, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, muscle twitching and 100-meter dashes to the bathroom.”

The product, called AeroShot, is a lipstick-sized capsule currently sold as a dietary supplement.

The company website claims the inhaler is a “revolutionary new way to get your energy.”

“It delivers a unique blend of caffeine and B vitamins in a fine powder that dissolves quickly in your mouth. So you get a quick boost of energy that starts working right away. The energy of the future is here.”

Because AeroShot is marketed as a dietary supplement, it did not have to be approved by the FDA. But Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer has taken issue with the product, and called on the FDA to evaluate it. He fears AeroShot will be used as a club drug.

NY1 has more from the Senator.

Senator Charles Schumer: “It’s very possible that snorting caffeine is dangerous - particularly to a 12-year-old. There are no age limits on the product. And, certainly dangerous when used in combination with alcohol.”

An opinion writer for BostInno writes, Schumer is blowing AeroShot’s danger out of proportion.

“It’s caffeine, bro. Would you prefer the college students of America continue blowing Adderall off their textbooks?”

Each tube holds 4-6 blasts, and each puff contains 100 milligrams of caffeine - about the same amount as a large cup of coffee.

But KPRC says, even with the same amount, there’s a difference in safety.

“With something like a cup of coffee, your body absorbs the caffeine gradually over time. What doctors worry about is something like the AeroShot, which gives the body a heavy, quick dose of caffeine it may not be ready for.”

AeroShot’s creator, David Edwards, is a biomedical engineering professor at Harvard. Amid all the scrutiny, Edwards insists his product is safe.

The Christian Post has more.

"Even with coffee- if you look at the reaction in Europe to coffee when it first appeared- there was quite a bit of hysteria. So anything new, there's always some knee-jerk reaction that makes us believe 'Well, maybe it's not safe.'"

The FDA will make the final call, and review inhalable caffeine to determine if it’s safe and legal. It will also investigate whether AeroShot is a legal dietary supplement.

First Lady And Daughters Vacation in Aspen, Media Reacts

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:00:04 -0600

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(Image Source: AspenPitkin.com/Wikipedia)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters are on a ski vacation in Aspen for Presidents Day Weekend. KCNC reports.

“The First Lady and her daughters Sasha and Malia flew into Aspen on Friday. No major details about their trip at this time, but the county sheriff said he met with secret service and loaned seven deputies to protect the first family.”

Some media have been quick to point out that the vacation comes soon after the first family spent time in Hawaii. The Daily Mail says …

“well, it has been a whole month!”

And Fox News writes …

“With the economy on its knees, many American families have had to forgo their annual holiday just to make ends meet. But barely a month after returning from a luxury Christmas break in Hawaii Michelle Obama is on holiday again …”

So what is the price tag on the vacation? The Aspen Daily News reports the family is staying at the home of Chicagoans Jim and Paula Crown, who have fundraised for President Obama in the past. And according to Politico …

“‘Personal expenses are being paid for by the Obamas,’ a spokesperson for the first lady said.”

Though conservative blog American Thinker writes …

“While the taxpayer doesn't have to foot the bill for some extravagant resort hotel … the dozens of Secret Service, communications, nannies, dressers, and the rest of her entourage will mostly be staying in motels - not to mention the cost of using one of the 747's to fly out there in the first place.”

And is multiple vacations risky in an election year? Blogger Emily Zanotti writes on her site -- NakedDC …

“Seriously? We’re closing in on a campaign. This is no longer about tax money or bizarre antics, this is about image.”
http://nakeddc.com/2012/02/18/enjoy-your-aspen-vacation-everyone/

But KJCT points out ...

“Presidents’ day in Colorado isn’t anything new for the trio. Last year they spent time skiing at Vail and Beaver Creek.”

And just like an annual vacation, blasting presidential trips seems to be becoming a regular story. When the Obamas took that Hawaiian vacation, Newsy brought you a story on how the media was … blasting the first family for taking a vacation.

“Politico reports, while it might seem extravagant, the Obamas aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary.”

Kyle Busch Avoids Crashes To Win Shootout

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:00:03 -0600

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(Image Source: Fox News)

BY MIHIR BHAGAT

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

A memorable start to the 2012 NASCAR season.

In the Budweiser Shootout, Kyle Busch edged Tony Stewart by 0.013 seconds. And during the race, he avoided not one…but two crashes.

OnlineAthens praises Busch’s abilities.

“Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout was more than an exhibition race. It was a battle of survival. And when it comes to driving through calamity, nobody has proven to be better than Kyle Busch.”

After complaints from fans, NASCAR implemented rule changes to transition from tandem-style racing to pack-style, so drivers aren’t dependent on a partner to win. However, the LA Times writes, the change will result in another problem -- saying that last night …

“Boys bunched together, three and four wide, wrecking and racing. NASCAR officials may have overreached trying to squash tandem racing, instead creating another monster: reducing Cup drivers to crash-test dummies.”

A FOX Sports analyst says NASCAR will reevaluate the changes.

“NASCAR will go down after tonight. I’m sure they’ll meet with every owner and driver. Where are we? Can we make it better? Do we need to make any minor tweaks on the car? I think they do.”

ESPN explains the lesson to be learned.

“The first Commandment in this style of racing, we learned, is: Thou shalt not push the car in front on the left rear corner.”

And Sports Illustrated recommends drivers be more cautious in next weekend’s Daytona 500 in Indianapolis.

“While Saturday night’s race had its moment of thrills, pack racing increases the level of risk. That is why it is important for all the drivers to get a handle on what they can do and what they can’t do before heading into the biggest race of the season.”

Palin Knocks 'Game Change' Film

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:01 -0600

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(Image Source: HBO)

BY ZACH TOOMBS

Sarah Palin is none too happy with a new HBO film depicting her experiences on the 2008 campaign trail. The made-for-TV movie -- “Game Change” is based on the bestselling book of the same name.

“This is Sarah.”

(“American Woman” by Guess Who)

“You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull? Lipstick.”

The film stars Julianne Moore as the former Alaskan governor. As HBO ramps up for its March 10 debut, Palin is countering the movie’s press with her own rehashing of the 2008 campaign.

On Sunday, Palin’s political action committee, SarahPAC, created this new Flickr account — “Game Change We Can Believe In.” The blog features positive photos of Palin on the 2008 campaign trail, including one of her palling around with SNL cast members and a pic of a smiling Katie Couric.

And on Fox News Sunday last week, Palin encouraged audiences to skip out on the movie, in which she’s depicted having a near nervous breakdown before her vice presidential debate.

CHRIS WALLACE: “Millions of people are gonna’ see that.”
PALIN: “Well, I’m sorry that millions of people are gonna’ waste their time. And I’m sure that they have more productive and constructive things to do.”
WALLACE: “Is there any truth to that story?”
PALIN: “I was never in a funk.”

In a blog post on SarahPAC’s website this week, Palin’s treasurer said HBO has, quote, “distorted, twisted and invented facts”. But former aides for John McCain — including chief strategist Steve Schmidt — have stood behind the film in interviews with the Los Angeles Times.

"‘This was a surreal experience for me,’ Schmidt said of the movie, in which he is played by actor Woody Harrelson. ‘Ten weeks of the campaign are condensed into a two-hour movie. But it tells the truth of the campaign. That is the story of what happened.’"

Politico’s Mike Allen reports Palin did not accept offers to screen the movie and refused to sit down with writers conducting research for the film. Still, he says:

“The film aims for a balanced portrait of Palin, reviving embarrassing episodes, but reflecting her extraordinary political strengths -- an electrifying performance on the stump, and an incredible connection with a swath of the electorate that often feels overlooked. The film shows how ill-prepared she was, but also gives a sympathetic portrayal of the onslaught and demands the small-state pol suddenly faced.”

The film does deviate from the book. For one, it doesn’t focus at all on the conflict between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama — the narrative that made up more than half of the novel. But the authors — journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann — were heavily involved in adapting the story for film. The movie’s director, Jay Roach, told Entertainment Weekly depicting Palin wasn’t easy.

“It was daunting ... This is not a caricature, and it’s not an impersonation. Julianne wanted to get not just into the surface — her skin, her clothes, her hair, and her accent — but to kind of internalize what she could imagine Sarah was going through psychologically, what anxieties she was experiencing stepping out on to the national stage.”

Roach also directed the HBO film “Recount” about the 2000 presidential election.

Arizona Sheriff Leaves Romney Campaign Amid Controversy

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:30:27 -0600

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Image: Phoenix New Times

BY ALYSSA CARTEE

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

A high profile sheriff in Arizona resigned from presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign staff amid a media firestorm. It began Thursday, when The Phoenix New Times published an article outing him as gay, and also accusing him of serious professional misconduct. CNN explains.

“In the newspaper article, Sheriff Paul Babeu is accused of threatening to deport his former boyfriend if he revealed their relationship. He denies the allegation.”

Babeu says everything in the article was false except for the fact that he is gay. The sheriff is known for his staunch conservative views and crackdown attitude on immigration. Babeu is also currently running for U.S. Congress, KSAZ reports his election was looking promising.

“So far, he has raised more campaign money than any other Republican in the race including current Congressman Paul Gosar. How this will affect his campaign is still unknown.”

Babeu appeared in one of John McCain’s most influential ads. McCain was asked about the allegations on ABC’s “This Week.”

“All I can say is that he also deserves the benefit, as every citizen does, of innocence until proven guilty. But I appreciate the support that he gave me in my campaign and always will.”

But The New York Times says the scandal could mean bad news for Mitt Romney.

“Even though Mr. Babeu was a minor figure in the Romney campaign, the accusations came at a less than ideal time. With Arizona and Michigan holding primaries at the end of the month, Mr. Romney is struggling to shore up social conservatives’ support and to fend off Rick Santorum, who is surging after winning contests in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota.”

A writer for Politico says the scandal may seem like an anti-gay issue, but there’s more to the story.

“If Babeu fails to make it to the primary — or through it — some might point to the Republican Party's reputation of being hostile to gays as the reason. But this tale is more complicated than that, and likely has a few more twists and turns to it.”

A blogger for conservative site The Right Sphere agrees, saying the issue here is not Babeu’s sexual orientation.

“The only allegation that I think should even be considered is whether or not Babeu used his position as law enforcement official to make threats against another individual. Nothing else. ...
By allowing the discussion of his sexuality and how he chose to live to even become a part of this discussion, we play right into the hands of those that wish to paint us as intolerant bigots.”

Babeu says he has every intention of continuing his campaign and his term as sheriff.

Are Chris Brown And Rihanna Back Together?

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:45:16 -0600

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(Image Source: Wikipedia/Wikipedia)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

Are they or aren’t they? Chris Brown and Rihanna both performed at the Grammys a week ago, and after rumors that they spent time together at pre-Grammys parties, the buzz is that the exes are back together.

A reunion could be controversial. In 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna, his girlfriend at the time. Not long after the incident, the two were together in Miami, and some criticized Rihanna for going back to Brown. Many spoke out against Brown’s Grammys performance this year -- including fellow celebrities.

Good Morning America reports on the latest …

“New reports that Rihanna may be taking Chris back. He was seen at her birthday party this week, and he is reportedly featured prominently in a song in her soon-to-be-released single.”

And MSNBC is already offering some of that reunion backlash.

“There are unverified reports that Rihanna and Chris Brown will be collaborating on a new song. Not exactly the right example she said she wanted to set.”

But an opinion writer for The Chronicle Herald, says, at some point -- people might have to cut Brown some slack.

“I know! I know! He’s an offender. But he’s also a member of society, and we can’t expect him to crawl under a rock and never be heard from again.”

But TMZ reports …

“Lost in all the Chris Brown/Rihanna possible reunion madness is the fact that CB has a serious girlfriend … Sources close to [her] tell TMZ she is unfazed by the recent rash of RiRi rumors. In fact, we’re told [they] are now actually living together.”

And The Daily Mail says Brown and his new love were vacationing together in Miami this weekend.

So are the stars -- both frequent Tweeters -- revealing anything themselves? Over the weekend, Rihanna sent out ...

“ … #LastTimeIChecked it wasn't ok to be in a relationship and act single when your bf/gf isn't around.”

No way to know for sure if that Tweet was about Brown, of course, but if the two do reunite -- even just for that song …

Spin Magazine calls it a ‘career killer’ for Rihanna.

“Remember Britney’s years in the wilderness, just because she shaved her head and went to fast-food restaurants without shoes on? The quality of the music was as high as ever … but the public wasn't buying. People are fickle, and so is the music industry. Be careful out there, RiRi.”

Italian Police Arrest 8 Over Fake U.S. Treasury Bonds

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:12:00 -0600

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Image Source: CBS

BY MADISON MACK

ANCHOR LAUREN ZIMA

New details have emerged about an international scam cracked by Italian police. CBS News reports on phony U.S. treasury bonds seized in Switzerland in January — the bonds were found stuffed in three large trunks.

“Eight Italians were arrested and prosecutors say they were planned to use the bonds to swindle money from Swiss banks.”

Italian police were first tipped off by chance while investigating a mafia group suspected of loansharking. BBC reports the scheme was sophisticated and had international origins.

“Those bonds apparently moved from Hong Kong to Zurich several years ago.

“The fake bonds posed a concrete and serious danger to the stability of the international credit systems.”

Also discovered with the bonds — a fake copy of the Treaty of Versailles. But would the bonds have passed off as real? The New York Times says...

“…only the uninitiated would have accepted them as real securities. Rather than counterfeit, they were what officials call fictitious, printed in 6,000 units of $1 billion each, a denomination that does not exist and the equivalent of $3 bills, American officials said.”

So what would someone do with half of the U.S. debt in bonds and a fake treaty?

“…the U.S. Embassy in Rome said its experts … determined that they were fictitious and apparently part of a scheme intended to defraud Swiss banks. … the origins of the bonds were unknown, but added that authorities had also seized a fake will, which was said to be part of a scheme in which a suspect would claim to have inherited the bonds and try to use them to open credit lines at a bank.”

And a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson tells Bloomberg that creating fake Treasuries is a pretty common scam.

“…especially in Italy,’ he said. The tipoff was the ‘astronomical’ face value of each bond, he said. Fake bonds in high denominations are more common in Europe, where people are less familiar with the face value of U.S. Treasury bonds than in the U.S.”

The U.S. Secret Service averages about 100 cases a year related to bonds and other fictitious instruments.

Elizabeth Smart Keeps Wedding Private, Hidden From Media

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:04:27 -0600

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(Image source: ABC News)

BY STACEY WELSH

ANCHOR LAUREN ZIMA

She described her 2002 kidnapping as “nine months in hell,” so family members hope Elizabeth Smart can look forward to a life of wedded bliss. The 24-year-old got married in Hawaii Saturday. KSL-TV congratulates the couple.

“She exchanged vows with her fiancee, now husband, Matthew Gilmour in the Hawaii temple. They’re off on their honeymoon before they come back to Salt Lake.”

HLN shows us the location of the destination wedding.

“This is the Mormon temple where they got married. The two were going to get married this summer, but with a lot of media attention, they decided to push it up.”

Indeed, Smart has worked to keep her life out of the public eye. People magazine reports she …

“...had planned a summer wedding… But with media attention keenly focused on the couple, they changed the wedding from a summer date to a secret destination wedding attended only by family.”

Smart met Gilmour, who is Scottish, in Paris while both were doing Mormon mission work. The couple had been engaged for about a month. A Smart family spokesperson told The Salt Lake Tribune relatives were thrilled to see her tie the knot.

“Elizabeth’s desire was for what most women want, to celebrate her nuptials in a private wedding with family and close friends.”

A blogger for CafeMom agrees...

“... after years of being haunted by the story of her kidnapping... I can't think of a better way for Elizabeth Smart to celebrate one of the biggest days of her life than in private...”

Smart’s story was one that captivated the nation. Her abductor is currently serving life in prison. Smart is currently a senior at Brigham Young University, and works as a commentator for ABC News on missing person cases.

Newsy Now: February 19 (1300 GMT)

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:40:38 -0600

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(Image source: euronews)

BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

Military attacks on activists continue this morning in Syria. A local attorney general and a judge are among the latest reported dead in what the opposition calls a another attack targeting officials.

Here’s CNN with an amateur video they say appears to be taken from the point-of-view of rooftop snipers.

“Remember, the Syrian government has said, time and time and time again, there is no armed conflict. Really? Take a look.”

The final approval of austerity measures in Greece was met with a student protest Saturday night. This last round of measures was demanded by the EU and IMF, according to euronews…

“The agreement improves the chances that European finance ministers will approve a €130 billion rescue package on Monday.”

Friends and family remembered Whitney Houston Saturday in an emotional service held at the New Jersey church where she sang as a child, according to Fox News.

Her co-star from “The Bodyguard,” Kevin Costner remembered a Whitney Houston, who despite her fame and success as a singer — questioned whether she’d be accepted as an actress.

KEVIN COSTNER: “Whitney, if you could hear me now, I would tell you — you weren’t just good enough, you were great.”

Finally, in sports — Boxer Dereck Chisora just can’t stop fighting, inside or outside the ring. The day before his match with Vitali Klitschko, Chisora slapped his opponent at the weigh-in.

In the ring, Chisora lost a unanimous decision to the champ, Klitschko.

After the fight, he got into another brawl with fellow British boxer, David Haye. He was later arrested by German police at the Munich airport, says BBC News. Here’s the post-fight scuffle.

CHISORA: “You want to tell me to my face? Alright, tell me to my face then. ... You want to fight me?”

Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

Janet Jackson Rumored to Join ‘The X Factor’

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:00:05 -0600

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(Image Source: Pop Tower)

BY BRICE SANDER

From bloodbath to rumor mill. After Simon Cowell and “The X Factor” fired host Steve Jones and judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul last month, blogs began to buzz about who would replace the trio. One name that keeps popping up? Janet Jackson.

Rumors exploded when this promo for Anderson Cooper’s interview with Jackson - set to air Monday - hit the web.

ANDERSON COOPER: “You might be a judge on ‘The X Factor?’”
JANET JACKSON (laughing)

Jackson doesn’t deny it -- just tells Cooper she can’t discuss it. E! News suggests Jackson is playing coy because a deal is in the works.

“A source close to the pop sensation tells E! News she would like to do the show. And Simon has said it’s being discussed. We asked in our E! Online poll if you would like to see Janet on the Fox hit and the majority said yes.”

A Newsday writer agrees with the E! News audience -- saying the show needs Jackson’s star power.

“Wanted, or I should say needed: A new judge on ‘The X Factor’ that will make people actually talk about this show and tune in, and make Simon Cowell's dreams (or delusions) of ratings grandeur come to life. Why not Janet Jackson? That seems like a pretty good candidate, no?”

VH1’s The Fab Life says the show doesn’t just need star power, but someone who can mentor the contestants. Cowell reportedly found that mentor in Whitney Houston -- who died just days before she was set to meet with Cowell about joining the show.

“While Whitney would have been phenomenal on the show, Janet brings a lot of the same qualities to the table: they both seem kind, fair and, most importantly, talented enough for their opinion actually mean something. Simon, we’re looking at you here…”

And The Hollywood Reporter says Jackson is just the first in Cowell’s plan to add big names to the show.

“... pop bad girl Pink is high on Cowell’s wish list. The singer … has credibility, Grammy awards and sass … Cowell also has acknowledged an interest in … Katy Perry, telling Extra, ‘I worked with Katy once. I think she would be fun because she is hard — in a good way — and she’s feisty.’”

Cowell has to make final decisions soon -- auditions for the show’s second season kick off March 1st. First season mentor L.A. Reid is returning to the judges table with Cowell.

New Cable Channel Caters to Canines

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:00:04 -0600

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(Image Source: ABC News )

BY JUSTIN PROCHASKA

ANCHOR EMILY SPAIN

You're watching multisource global video news analysis from Newsy.

TV is officially going to the dogs. A new canine-based cable channel launched in San Diego this week, but it’s not for animal lovers and dog owners. As WTHR reports, it’s actually for man’s best friend.

“It's called, well, DOGTV, and has nearly 800 programs for dogs. Each last 3-5 minutes long to fit with a dog’s limited attention span.”

The channel’s programming is based around three parts: stimulation, relaxation and exposure. The programming is designed to relax dogs and keep them at ease when the owner isn’t around. But, do dogs even pay attention to the screen? A researcher at Tufts University says they sure do.

“With digital picture dogs can see the picture just the same as you and me. And they do see it. And they do watch. And they can be entertained by it.”

So how exactly does it work? A dog trainer told ABC News that dogs have a weaker color spectrum than humans and DOGTV adjusts the colors for the pups vision. The image may look muted to human eyes, but the colors pop to some dogs.

“DOGTV has colored those trees, maybe put a little blue or yellow on these trees so a dog can really see them.”

The idea came after a dog owner felt guilty for leaving his dog at home all day at work.
Here’s a sample, courtesy of WTOP.

Not everybody is sold on this new breed of television, though. Cesar Millan, from the reality show “Dog Whisperer” told NBC, DOGTV is barking up the wrong tree because dogs are more concerned with other senses, rather than just what they see and hear on TV.

“DogTV seems a fun concept and it may help your pet make it through the day, but what they see is much less important to dogs than what they smell. Dogs are pack animals and to be separated from their pack leader is one of the most stressful things that can happen to them.”

Catering TV programming toward dogs isn’t an entirely new phenomenon. An advertising campaign is underway in the UK where TV ads contain high-pitched sounds causing dogs to bark and react to them.

“The pet-food commercial features a high-pitched sound, similar to a dog whistle, which is inaudible to humans. But its creators hope it will make dogs prick up their ears and bark – forcing their owners to pay attention to the product being advertised.”

Right now DOGTV is only available in San Diego, but the channel hopes to expand to other markets where your pooch can fetch the remote.

Christie Vetoes N.J. Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:35:32 -0600

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Image source: The Star-Ledger

BY ZACH TOOMBS

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie followed through on his promise Friday to veto legislation that would legalize gay marriage in the Garden State. Philadelphia’s WPVI reports.

“One day after the measure was passed by the state assembly, Gov. Christie is clinging to what he has said since the bill was first introduced: that it should be decided by the people of New Jersey in the form of a public vote.”

On Thursday, the Democratic-controlled New Jersey state Assembly voted 42-33 in favor of the bill. Despite his veto, Christie — a Republican governor — has voiced support for civil unions in the past. On Friday, he proposed the idea of an ombudsman to oversee fair treatment for gays and lesbians. Iowa’s KWIT has his comments.

“Discrimination should not be tolerated and any complaint alleging a violation of a citizen's right should be investigated and, if appropriate, remedied."

But Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay-rights group Garden State Equality, says the ombudsman proposal is useless. He tells the New Jersey Star-Ledger he believes Christie vetoed the bill not because he’s anti-gay but because the 2016 South Carolina presidential primary electorate is anti-gay.

"A civil union ombudsman is nothing more than the shameless dressing up of a veto of people’s dignity and equality — the equivalent of gold-plating a separate water fountain for a specific class of people.”

No word yet on when Christie’s proposed state referendum might come. Albany’s Times Union reports Democrats in New Jersey’s legislature have until January 2014 to override the veto but that they’re taking their time.

“Democrats who identified same-sex marriage as their No. 1 priority for the two-year legislative session that began in January have adopted a longer view... they plan to bide their time in hopes that support for gay marriage — currently 52-42 percent in New Jersey, according to one recent voter poll — will continue to grow.”

On Monday, Washington state’s governor signed legislation to make the state the seventh in the nation to allow same-sex marriage. Politico reports that measure takes effect June 7.

Daredevil Will Tightrope Walk Over Niagara Falls

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:00:10 -0600

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(Images Source: National Post)

BY TATIANA DARIE

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

A daredevil is set to try and cross the gorge at Niagara Falls — on a tightrope. The Niagara Parks officials gave the thumbs-up to acrobat Nik Wallenda, reversing an earlier decision against the stunt. KVOA has the details...

“Millions visit Niagara Falls every year and now one man is going to walk across it on a tightrope. Amazingly enough, American high wire performer was just given permission yesterday.”

Wallenda’s stunt is set for this summer. Both Canadian and U.S. authorities have tried to keep people from taking the risk because of the high number of fatalities and accidents related to stunts at the gorge. But Canada's Niagara Parks Commission chairwoman, Janice Thompson, tells the BBC — Wallenda’s walk will be a unique event which recognizes the history of the Falls.

"It's tightly controlled; we’re saying it's once in a generation. Why we're actually doing it is to pay tribute to the rich history, the long-ago history, of tightrope-walking and daredevils at Niagara Falls.”

WIVB reports — what mostly appealed to the officials was the revenue they would earn through tourism and broadcasting rights.

Reporter: “Each part of three is likely to spend about $445 per day while in Niagara Falls, USA."

Niagara Commissioner: “Those numbers can add up quickly and provide a significant impact to the destination.”

In total — the event is expected to bring it more than $100 million to the area. Now— the pressure is on Wallenda. New York Daily News reports says— for this daredevil — the bar is set very high.

“Since there is no point in prancing across a gorge in 2012 unless you can at least equal what a man accomplished in the mid-1800s, Wallenda must study what the great Charles Blondin did at Niagara in1859 and the years after... He did it blindfolded. He did it in a sack. He did it carrying a man on his back...”

But Blondin didn’t walk directly over the waterfall— he was a bit downstream. The Daily Mail comments...

“If [Wallenda] survives his 1,800ft-long walk on a two-inch thick rope over the famous site, he will become the first to ever achieve the feat.”

Wallenda comes from a long line of famous circus performers, The Flying Wallendas. He has been tightrope-walking since he was two.

Researchers Successfully Test Drug-Releasing Microchip

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:00:09 -0600

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(Image source: Voice of America)

BY ZAKIYYAH WAHAB

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

MIT researchers have conducted successful human tests for the world’s first wirelessly controlled microchip. The drug-releasing microchip is designed to treat osteoporosis patients. According to MIT,

“...scientists used the programmable implants to deliver...teriparatide to seven women aged 65 to 70...and there were no adverse side effects.”

Teriparatide reverses bone loss in patients. The drug requires a daily injection for two years. The Wall Street Journal explains the inconvenience of taking the injections...

“...nobody likes getting shots, so one of the estimates are that by the end of 2 years, only 25% of women, or patients, mostly women, who need this are taking it...”

The Clinical Advisor explains the chip aims to replace the hassle of taking injections.

“…micro-reservoirs…[hold] individual…sealed doses of the medication…[and] an electrical signal [is used to melt] the metallic membrane covering the reservoir, releasing the drug.”

BBC interviewed Dr Robert Farra, president of MicroCHIPS, the Massachusetts-based company that led the study.

“…we will be freeing patients from the burden of their disease. They don’t have to think about their disease anymore. They can live a normal life. They don’t have to remember to take an injection or worry about the pain of the injection.”

And the Guardian sees this as a huge leap for the industry, saying the possibilities of a drug-releasing microchip are endless.

“The work is a major step towards an implantable ‘pharmacy-on-a-chip’ that could be filled with a variety drugs to treat long-term conditions…”

The price of the device has yet to be determined, but researchers say the cost should be similar to those of daily injections. According to US News, Farra hopes that the microchip will be approved by the FDA within four years.

You're watching multisource global video news analysis from Newsy.

Newsy Now: February 18 (1400 GMT)

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:14:12 -0600

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(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

The man arrested for an alleged attempt to bomb the U.S. Capitol building could face life in prison. Amine El Khalifi, a 29-year-old Moroccan immigrant in the U.S. illegally, is charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. He allegedly received a dummy suicide vest and a gun — both of which had been made inoperable by law enforcement ahead of time.

CNN says he showed up on the FBI’s radar more than a year ago, but things got moving when he was introduced to an undercover law-enforcement officer in December 2011.

“…meeting and discussing his plans to possibly carry out an attack either on a synagogue, or U.S. military offices, or maybe a restaurant that was frequented by military officials.”

U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague fears Iran could start a new Cold War. This one in the Middle East, BBC News has him saying…

“If [the Iranians] obtain nuclear weapons capability, then I think other nations across the Middle East will want to develop nuclear weapons. … the most serious round of nuclear proliferation since nuclear weapons were invented would have begun with all the destabilising effects in the Middle East.”

China opposed the U.N. resolution to stop violence in Syria, but now the country has sent a foreign minister in for diplomatic talks. Still, euronews reports it’s unclear what China will do to stop the bloodshed.

“China is against sanctions and foreign intervention in Syria, but Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun gave few clues as to what proposals he would be making.”

Pope Benedict XVI named 22 new cardinals this morning in Rome. That list includes New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, whose name is being floated around as a potential candidate to become the first American pope, according to The Telegraph. Fox News shows us the ceremony.

“Here you can see the pope giving Dolan the traditional red hat. Twenty-one others received the same huge honor this morning.”

Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

Vanity License Plate Nets $20,000 in Tickets

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:00:01 -0600

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(Image source: WRC)

BY MALLORY PERRYMAN

25 years ago— DC native Danny White thought it would be funny to get this vanity license plate.

Check out the back of his Chevy truck— NO TAGS.

But $20,000 in tickets later — White isn’t laughing over this plate prank. Here’s WRC.

Danny White: “I’ve got enough tickets here to plaster the whole car.”
Reporter: “$300, $500, $700 for overdue tickets. Because, if the city finds an abandoned vehicle or a car missing its plates...guess who gets it?”

Basically— White ends up with the ticket because parking officers write “NO TAGS” for violators without plates. Jalopnik reports...

“The ones issued to cars other than Chevrolets are dismissed with little more than a traffic-court appearance; he takes time off from work once every few months to clear the backlog. Tickets written for other Chevys, though, are harder to vacate. The situation has developed to the point where White can no longer re-register his truck.”

A reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution wonders — after 25 years — why hasn’t the DMV fixed the problem?

“The DMV, despite realizing they are wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars mailing tickets to the wrong motorist, seems unwilling to fix their computer system.”

So now what? WHDH reports— since the story went public, some changes are in the works.

“Because of the problem, the DMV or RNV, has issued many new rules on writing tickets. But White’s plates may be recalled anyway to avoid any problems in the future.”

According to WRC— the DMV is now requesting that officers write down a car’s VIN number when tags are missing. But why doesn’t White just get new plates? He says he shouldn’t have to shell out for new tags just because the DMV can’t fix its sytem.

FBI Sting Foils Suspected Capitol Bomb Plot

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:15:10 -0600

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Image source: The Washington Post

BY ZACH TOOMBS

An undercover FBI operation led to the arrest of a lone wolf extremist planning to detonate a bomb in the U.S. Capitol building Friday. Washington’s WJLA has the report.

“The suspect was arrested here, only two blocks from the U.S. Capitol. He parked his van. Undercover agents posing as Al Qaeda terrorists gave him an automatic weapon and what he thought was a suicide explosives vest. Then the FBI pounced.”

The suspect -- a 29-year-old Moroccan man named Amine El Khalifi. POLITICO writes the would-be bomber lives in Alexandria, Va. and...

“... entered the United States in 1999 on a tourist visa that expired later that year and remained in the country illegally since that time, according to the criminal complaint filed at the U.S. District Court in Alexandria. The FBI was tipped off last year that El Khalifi had called the ‘war on terrorism’ a ‘war on Muslims.’”

According to court documents, El Khalifi sought out parts to build an improvised explosive device while trying to select a target. He first set his sights on an unidentified building in Alexandria housing military offices, then on a synagogue, before selecting the Capitol as his target. Fox News reports El Khalifi was taken to an Alexandria courthouse shortly after his arrest.

“Late today, during a brief appearance in a Virgina federal court, Khalifi was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction... Khalifi faces life in prison if convicted of these charges.”

Across the networks, panelists weighed in on whether the sting could be considered entrapment. CNN’s Fran Townsend offers her analysis.

“Will there be a valid entrapment defense? They tell me ‘no.’... They feel very confident that they understood this guy’s intentions, that they were his intentions, and that he had independently taken steps to further this plot.”

Return to Camelot?: New Kennedy Steps into the Spotlight

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:40:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Daily Mail)

BY ALLIE SPILLYARDS

A new member of the Kennedy family is stepping into the political spotlight. Robert Kennedy’s grandson Joe Kennedy III launched a congressional run Thursday via YouTube.

“Hi. I’m Joe Kennedy. I’m announcing a campaign to be your Democratic nominee for the fourth congressional district seat currently held by Barney Frank.”

Two days into the campaign for a Massachusetts seat and the media’s already buzzing — with some saying family legacy is a definite plus for the Harvard Law grad. According to a writer for The Washington Post...

“Kennedy is not the only candidate in the Democratic primary, although his pedigree makes him an early favorite and he is already winning union support. Businessman Paul Heroux, software engineer Herb Robinson, and sociologist Jack Porter are also running.”

Although a University of Massachusetts Lowell/Boston Herald poll confirms an early lead for the Harvard grad, the Herald’s Joe Battenfeld suggests...

“Kennedy may also be benefiting from some early voter confusion over the family name. About a quarter of the poll respondents initially confused the younger Kennedy with his father.”

But the Massachusetts state Republican Party is less than impressed.

“Joseph P. Kennedy III is relying on his famous last name and privileged pedigree to prop up his congressional bid before he even announces his candidacy. Jetting to Washington D.C., Joe Kennedy III will be hitting up the family tree and D.C. money men for cash as he prepares to launch his campaign.”

And some have suggested like many before him, his Kennedy charm may distract from the real politics. In an article for Vanity Fair, Joe’s looks take center stage.

“Smiling exactly like the we’d want our future husband to smile, he says. . . things. . . his teeth are really great, too. . . and he’s running for Congress because. . . of how amazing he looks in light blue, or something. His platform includes: making people who are not usually into redheads suddenly very into redheads. Vote Kennedy.”

But will the media’s Kennedy obsession hurt the young politician in the polls? Congressman Barney Frank — the man whose seat Kennedy wants — tells MSNBC not even a recently released novel by a possible JFK mistress could hurt Kennedy.

"The media can go off on whatever tangents it wants, I think you'll find Joe Kennedy as a candidate talking to people.”

And whether this member of the famous political family succeeds, the Daily Mail’s Hannah Roberts writes — he’s certainly not the family’s last chance to dominate the Hill. She writes...

“Then there’s the youngest members of the Kennedy pack to have a place in the public’s consciousness.
Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s offspring could one day make a challenge for votes...
Both have the poll-winning telegenic good looks of their great uncle - a certain former Mr President.”

If Kennedy succeeds, it will be the family’s first return to Congress since Patrick Kennedy’s term ended in 2011.

MSNBC and Pat Buchanan Cut Ties

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:10:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Southern Avenger)

BY ALLIE SPILLYARDS

“Blacklisted” — That’s conservative commentator Pat Buchanan’s cry after getting the boot from what he calls – left-leaning MSNBC.

“Your brother is in the witness protection program. Patrick Buchanan has disappeared from the face of the Earth. Is he in Arizona? I heard he’s under the name Lucy Addal.” (VIDEO SOURCE: Fox News)

The controversy’s centered around the former GOP presidential candidate’s new book – “Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?” Critics called it “racist” and “anti-Semitic,” and petitioned MSNBC to end Buchanan’s contract after his lengthy disappearance from air.

In an op-ed for The American Conservative, Buchanan responds, writing...

“My four-months' absence from MSNBC and now my departure represent an undeniable victory for the blacklisters.”

But didn’t anyone see this coming? The New York Times Brian Stelter suggests — this shouldn’t be a surprise.

“When he was hired at MSNBC in 2002... the channel called itself ‘fiercely independent’ and had no clear political tilt. But in the last few years the channel has leaned to the left, particularly in prime time, causing Mr. Buchanan to seem more and more like an outlier.”

And an opinion writer for the Baltimore Sun goes one step further, suggesting the network’s better off without him.

“The more he snarled and the closer her came to hate speech, the more he confirmed the worst stereotypes that liberals believed about the right.”

According to a writer for the Daily Beast...

“As a cable news commentator, you serve at the pleasure of management. And MSNBC (which put out a we-wish-him-well statement) was no longer pleased by Buchanan. Next stop, Fox News?”

But a blogger for Newsday’s not so sure that a move is in Buchanan’s immediate future.

“Fox would then have to pick up the cudgel that MSNBC refused to - that his book... is not racist or anti-Semitic. That may be too much of a distraction, and so the flip side is also equally possible - that Buchanan's long association with TV dating back nearly to the Nixon presidency, may well have come to an end. (Again, to cover bets here - for the moment.)”

Times' Shadid Made Career Covering Conflict

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:50:29 -0600

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(Image Source: The New York Times)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY
ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid passed away in Syria Thursday. He was in the country reporting for The New York Times. The newspaper says Shadid suffered a fatal asthma attack.

“Mr. Shadid, 43, had been reporting inside Syria for a week, gathering information on the Free Syrian Army … [Times photographer Tyler Hicks] said that Mr. Shadid, who had asthma and had carried medication with him, began to show symptoms as both of them were preparing to leave Syria on Thursday, and the symptoms escalated into what became a fatal attack.”

Hicks then carried Shadid’s body across the border to Turkey. Shadid won both of his Pulitzer Prizes for his coverage of the Iraq war. MSNBC highlights Shadid’s decorated journalism career and says his last assignment in Syria embodied a lifetime of dangerous reporting abroad.

“...from the streets of Iraq, to the Arab Spring uprising of Egypt and Tunisia. The correspondent survived a bullet wound while reporting in the West Bank once and a week-long kidnapping in Libya just last year.”

TIME’s world editor calls Shadid the best of the best foreign correspondents.

“I know how chefs feel about Ferran Adria, musicians about Bruce Springsteen, economists about Amartya Sen. I felt that way about Anthony Shadid: total and utter awe. In an era blessed with more than its fair share of brilliant foreign correspondents, he was the best of the breed. And his death, at just 43, leaves our profession bereft.”

In an archived video, Shadid talks to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about his kidnapping in Libya. He says — some stories are simply worth the risk.

“It is a little bit of a cliché, but there is some meaning to it — that, unless you are there covering it, no one’s going to know about it. Unless you’re there trying to bring meaning to it, trying to bring a certain depth to it, it won’t be done otherwise.”

On Twitter, fellow journalists including Arianna Huffington and Foreign Policy’s Blake Hounshell are paying tribute to the much admired reporter. (From The New York Times' Lede blog)

Anthony Shadid was 43 years old. He is survived by his wife and two children.

LeBron Hinting at Return of the King?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:02:04 -0600

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(Image Source: The Cleveland Plain-Dealer)

BY TOM MARTIN

LeBron James may be second-guessing his world-famous Decision. Thursday he told Cleveland media he wouldn’t rule out a permanent Return of the King:

“I think it would be great. It’d be fun to play in front of these fans again ... I’m happy where I am now, but I don’t rule that out in no sense. If I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me.”

Acceptance may be tall task for the many Cavs fans who consider James a sworn enemy. But Cleveland radio host Aaron Goldhammer told ESPN, he thinks fans could cave:

“Even here in Cleveland, one of the most bitter towns of them all, is pretty forgiving, and if he really wanted to come back and really mea culpa like he’s starting to do now, I think people would accept him back here."

That’s assuming James means what he says. A blogger for Fear the Sword doesn’t buy it.

“Remember when he said he was going to bring an NBA championship to Cleveland? Hmmm, still waiting for that one … He creates these stupid rumors because he likes the attention. Is it possble that he actually wants to come back to Cleveland? Yeah, sure. Does that mean it will happen? Probably not.”

But what if James IS serious? Basketball blog Ball Don’t Lie thinks James may want a second chance.

“We're sure there's part of LeBron that misses the love that comes from being that cold-weather legend, the sort of guy that can lead off a TNT Thursday night as the best player on the NBA's best team, and not an ABC-evening broadcast in June. That might be there. He might want to go back.”

Mights and maybes aside, these rumors have spread before. Last month, Fox Sports Ohio’s Sam Amico hinted a second decision could be in James’ future.

“James can opt out of his contract at the end of the 2013-14 season, and speculation is he will strongly consider it … The team James would be eyeballing most in free agency, say those close to the situation, would be the Cavs.”

Until then, James remains a member of the Miami Heat -- who take on the Cavs in Cleveland Friday.

Developing: Feds Investigate ICE Internal Shooting

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:17:21 -0600

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(Image Source: CNN)

BY JIM FLINK

A federal investigation continues this morning into the shooting of an immigration official -- reportedly by a co-worker. Here’s ABC News.

“The FBI says it all started with a dispute between an agent with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency or ICE, and his supervisor. Things escalated. One agent shot another. Then a third intervened and opened fire. “

It happened around the evening rush hour Thursday night in Long Beach, California.
WFMY talks with a man who raced to the courthouse to record what resulted.
He saw dozens of police cars — federal agents swarming the scene.
So he rolled on video.

“I was over behind the court building — and was watching the federal building — and observed them bring out a stretcher and put it in the paramedic van.”

KTLA went to the hospital where surgeons talked about the surviving agent’s condition — which appears to be improving, according to doctors.

“He sustained multiple wounds to various parts of his body. The patient is stable. We have multiple teams working on him. Well, our initial concerns are always the most life-threatening injuries.”

The FBI is supervising the investigation.
Thus far, authorities have not released any names or other information about the incident.

Newsy Now: February 17 (1245 GMT)

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:16:20 -0600

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(Image Source: KABC)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN AND STEVEN SPARKMAN

ANCHOR JIM FLINK

This is Newsy Now, and here’s a look at your latest headlines.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is dead and another seriously injured after a shoot-out in Long Beach, California. Here’s WTAE.

“Police say the shooter opened fire on a supervisor over some sort of fight and dispute. Another agent jumped in, tried to tackle the gunman and also got shot.”

A Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter has died while working to cover Syria.

Anthony Shadid died of an apparent asthma attack. According to the Times, colleague and photographer Tyler Hicks carried his body across the border to Turkey.

And in world news, German President Christian Wulff has resigned from office amid legal probes into corruption allegations. Euronews has more.

“The move, believe analysts, was prompted after state prosecutors in Hannover asked parliament to end his immunity over the allegations he accepted favours.”

And talk about flying high.
The pilot of a small private plan faces a drug probe after straying into President Obama’s airspace. WRC has more.

“Fighter jets intercepted the plane was escorted to a nearby airport. Authorities found more than 20 pounds of marijuana on board.”

Stay with Newsy for more news and analysis throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Jim Flink highlighting the top headlines making you smarter faster.

Interracial Marriage Rates Soar to a Record High in the US

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:05 -0600

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(Image Source: Shutterstock / ejwhite)

BY XIAONAN WANG

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

Interracial marriage in the U.S. is on the rise. A recent survey found the rate has hit a new record. KNXV has the details:

“New pew research center study finds a record of one in 12 marriages are couples now between different races. Researchers say 8.4% of all U.S. marriages are interracial. That’s up from 3.2 percent 1980.”

Evidence also shows that attitudes towards intermarriage have dramatically changed over the past century. Here is more from Washingtonpost:

"In a 1986 Roper Poll, two-thirds of the people said they could never imagine themselves marrying someone from a different race. In a 2009 Pew poll, just 6 percent of whites and 3 percent of blacks said they would not accept an interracial marriage in their family."

And a MSNBC analyst says the trend is a good thing for the social consciousness.

“I think that the biggest take away from this is really that interracial marriage is no longer a taboo. ...So what we're really seeing, I think, is a generational shift and it's really a shift for the good.”

Some say the changing pattern in marriage symbolizes the improving race relations in the country. A Jezebel article cites a sociologist explaining the connection behind them.

“Mixed-race children have blurred America's color line. They often interact with others on either side of the racial divide and frequently serve as brokers between friends and family members of different racial backgrounds."

Although interracial marriages are becoming more common, Fox News Latino focuses on a discouraging scenario indicated from the same study.

“The Pew study also tracks some divorce trends, citing studies using government data that found overall divorce rates higher for interracial couples.”

But the trending discussion on interracial marriages is drawing ire from some people. They ask why it becomes topical anyway? CNN quotes some unhappy voices from social media.

"Why do people give inter-racial dating so much lip service?"“I look forward to the day when stories about "inter-racial" marriages are no longer newsworthy."

A researcher from Cornell University says most of the minorities who marry are not being married to other minorities, but to whites.

Family Blocked From Burying Dad Next To Kids He Killed

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:00:06 -0600

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(Image Source: MSNBC.com)

BY MEREDITH BALDWIN

ANCHOR EMILY SPAIN

The family of the father who authorities say killed his children and himself in a house explosion announced Thursday it will not bury him next to his sons.
Officials believe Josh Powell murdered his two boys, one 5 and the other 7 years old, in early February.

This incident comes after Powell’s wife disappeared in 2009 during a family camping trip. Local authorities say they believe Powell killed himself and his children because the kids were starting to tell police that Powell was involved in the crime.

Powell’s family and his wife’s family battled over whether or not to bury his body next to the two boys. Then the community stepped in. People started pitching in money to buy the plots of land by the sons’ grave blocking the family from burying Powell there. Ultimately, the community won. Powell’s mom told the Salt Lake Tribune about the difficult decision:

"We have tried so hard to be loving and considerate and respectful in making Josh’s burial arrangements. We love our little Charlie and Braden and want their resting place to be a place of peace and comfort.”

The community seemed relieved to learn that Josh Powell would not be buried in the same cemetery. The Los Angeles Times writes it was in the best interest of the Powell family.

“Even if Powell's family managed to purchase the plot, his grave would not see any peace: Threats of vandalism and worse were already being rumored amid the outraged public.”

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department led the campaign to buy the plots in the graveyard and supported the decision to not bury Powell next to his children.
Here’s King 5:

"It struck me that when you kill two little kids, you should not get the dignity of being buried beside them. Their murderer should not get that dignity."

Good Morning America notes just how much the community took part in the effort.

“In an effort to prevent Powell from being buried next to the boys, thousands of dollars in donations have poured into the crime stoppers unit, to buy both plots on either side of the boys’ shared casket.”

As for where Josh Powell will be buried... his family has not said.

TCU Football Drug Test Fallout

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:55:45 -0600

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(Image Source: Dallas Morning News)

BY ANDREW CARTER

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Still reeling -- but also healing.

The TCU football team is taking some good news alongside the bad which has rocked its bedrock football program.

New information suggests, the team should have known there was a problem within its ranks, long before four players were arrested this week.

Here’s WFAA.

“....by October, arrest warrants show TCU campus police had reason to believe football player Tyler Horn was dealing drugs. Over the next four months the Horn investigation led undercover officers to three more players.”

There were other signs.

Head football coach Gary Patterson ordered a random drug check of the entire team earlier this month, after a football recruit turned down the Horn Frogs -- saying too many TCU players were using drugs.

That was exacerbated when one of the accused players -- said most teammates would fail a test.

The Fort Worth Star Telegraph has the results....

“Five TCU football players tested positive for marijuana and failed a Feb. 1 drug test initiated by coach Gary Patterson, a source told the Star-Telegram. Another 11 had trace amounts within the margin of error, the source said.”

Most agree, the results are mixed.

But ESPN columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor credits Patterson with taking action.

“Even his harshest critics have to like the way he's handled this situation based on what we know today... Instead of keeping the information to himself, or telling his boss and letting him handle it, Patterson acted.”

All of this comes on a program that has become one of college football’s best.

Amidst the drug tests and charges, Fox Business reminds those unfamiliar with TCU’s success in 2011.

“You wonder how they finished 11-2 and they could have been 13-0. Lost a two point game and overtime game. “

Regardless of the on-field success, Washington Post writer Cindy Boren says these arrests have stained the reputation of the Horned Frogs program.

And that won’t disappear soon.

“The arrests left TCU, whose national profile has been rising because of its football success and reputation, reeling ... In March, Sports Illustrated reported that the Horned Frogs roster was the only one in the top 25 that didn’t include a player with a police record.”

Police say the investigation -- which also netted 11 other student arrests -- is ongoing and could yield more arrests both on and off campus.

Analysis: Santorum Releases Tax Returns

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:26:01 -0600

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(Image Source: Vanity Fair)

BY BLAKE HANSON

GOP Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum often touts his humble beginnings — but now he appears to be doing pretty well. The former Pennsylvania Senator released his tax returns Wednesday — here he is with Piers Morgan...

MORGAN: “How much money have you earned in those four years?”
SANTORUM: “Probably a little over, more than $3 million dollars in those four years.”
SANTORUM: “Look, I feel very blessed”

Santorum released returns from 2007-2010 — the most years of any candidate to release so far. So what’s this mean for Santorum who’s been known to attack Romney for his income? A writer for Slate says the returns could be an issue for the Santorum campaign, writing...

“The returns are much less labyrinthine than those of Romney and Gingrich … but still might pose a bump in the road for Santorum's bid to relate to working class America. “

Washington Post conservative writer Jennifer Rubin disagrees...

“The fact that he is not blue collar and is not even middle class shouldn’t damage his ability to relate to such voters. It should, however, curb his snarkiness about Mitt Romney’s wealth. Neither one of them is hurting.”

Santorum is currently campaigning in Michigan ahead of it’s February 28th primary. A Republican strategist tells MSNBC Santorum’s decision to release his tax returns falls right in line with his tactics there...

“He’s also coaching to his own strength. I mean, he is everybody, I mean he’s everyman. He’s a guy that does his own taxes, he’s talking about it from the heart, he believes it, he’s doing it. And this is where he’s kind of painting himself in that kind of blue collar crowd in Michigan.”

Meanwhile, a writer for Vanity Fair takes a much lighter viewpoint on political analysis, and says...

“Rick Santorum’s tax returns are about as interesting as Mitt Romney’s candidacy. But Romney’s tax returns … are as fascinating as Rick Santorum’s unlikely path to poll leader. The more boring the candidate, the juicier the tax return; the more compelling the candidate, the more banal the tax return.”

The latest New York Times/CBS News poll puts Santorum in lead with 30-percent of the support from Republican Primary voters nationwide. Romney is right behind, at 27-percent.

Congress Breaks Gridlock, Reaches Payroll Tax Cut Deal

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:44:15 -0600

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(Image source: Bloomberg and MLive)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY AND ZACH TOOMBS

Leaders of an infamously divided U.S. Congress came to a major agreement on a payroll tax cut extension Thursday morning. CNBC reports.

“Congressional leaders announcing a bipartisan payroll tax cut deal early this morning. Under the agreement, a payroll tax cut for $160 million Americans would be extended through December.”

Also part of the deal — an extension of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed. Congress’ top two tax writers — Republican Rep. Dave Camp and Democratic Sen. Max Baucus — announced the deal after meeting early Thursday morning. Fox News has that video.

CAMP: “Senator Baucus and I are here to say we have reached an agreement.”

BAUCUS: “This is very important for a lot of people. 150 million Americans are now going to maintain their payroll tax cut.”

An editorial in The New York Times says the deal is good enough for now... especially for Democrats.

“There’s nothing like a deadline — and the prospect of acute political embarrassment — to concentrate the mind. … The agreement is imperfect but sound. … It is also a political win for Democrats and President Obama, who had made extending the payroll tax cut and the jobless benefits a centerpiece of his jobs agenda.”

But as the Associated Press points out — the GOP might also claim a victory by preventing the other side from portraying the party as anti-middle class. Still — a writer for Forbes says the deal is just borrowed money and borrowed time. He says Congress will have to borrow $100 billion to implement the temporary tax cut.

“This wouldn’t bother me if I thought the payroll tax cut was really going to expire in 10 months. But I don’t. Given the Democrats’ politically successful claim that allowing the tax break to expire was akin to a tax increase, it is hard to imagine them abandoning the provision–or the issue– anytime soon.”

And POLITICO notes, although details of the deal are scarce, Baucus and Camp must have overcome steep obstacles to reach an agreement.

“...spectrum auctions, cuts to an Obama health care program and requirements that federal workers pay more into retirement benefits — all issues that provoked controversy Wednesday. But the $100 billion cost of the payroll tax cut would be added to the budget deficit, a significant concession by GOP leaders that has provoked opposition on the right.”

No word yet on when Congress will vote on the deal. For all your political headlines, follow @NewsyVideos.

Comcast Smiling After Q4 Report

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:00:10 -0600

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(Image: Wall Street Journal)

BY DAVID EARL

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

To Xfinity and beyond. That might be one of the shouts of joy you’ll hear around Comcast’s corporate offices these days. Here’s the headline from Forbes.

“For Q4, the cable and entertainment giant posted revenue of $15.04 billion, up 54.7% from a year ago, reflecting the acquisition of NBCUniversal … Profits of 47 cents a share were well ahead of the Street at 41 cents.”

CNBC sat down with Comcast’s CEO. He’s seeing tremendous growth in the company’s broadband product: Xfinity.

“We really had a great quarter on Xfinity products...It’s the sixth straight year we’ve added over a million broadband customers. I think America’s in love with broadband.”

So, America is simply in love with the Comcast product. How can you mess that up? But, MarketWatch says there are even more factors playing into Comcast’s positive performance.

“Out of the blue, Comcast slashed its video-subscriber losses to 17,000 from 135,000 in the fourth-quarter of 2010. … Comcast’s Xfinity service, which lets subscribers watch video on tablets and other mobile devices, now has a very user-friendly interface.”

Wait. In the age of online access, fewer people are ditching cable? Turns out it’s true. And if you’re shocked to hear it, BusinessWeek found a market analyst who’s just as surprised.

“‘A return to positive video subscriber growth -- unthinkable in consensus numbers as recently as six months ago -- is now not only plausible, but arguably likely,’ [said] Craig Moffett. ‘That's a huge change.’”

The New York Times notes NBC Universal’s coveted cable properties — like CNBC, USA, and Bravo — are proving profitable too. But one reporter says positive signs for Comcast, are really positive signs for everybody.

“This is really a bellwether for the economy. I mean, people are able to afford the monthly cable bill. Maybe they cut back on it when times were particularly tough.”

The marriage between Comcast — the distributor — and NBC Universal — the content provider — turned one year old this month.

Newsy Now: February 16 (1415 GMT)

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:22:20 -0600

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(Image Source: The Bangkok Post)

BY JIM FLINK AND CHRISTINA HARTMAN

This is Newsy Now. Here’s a look at your latest headlines.

In World News, The AP is reporting three Iranians detained after accidentally setting off explosives in Bangkok were planning to attack Israeli diplomats, Thailand's top policeman said Thursday. India’s NDTV reports -- it’s a concern in India -- because the country has not yet installed CCTV’s across the country.

“Already Thai authorities have released CCTV photographs...”

“This release shows the importance of CCTV in such situations and yet we don’t even have a photograph of the bike that was possibly involved in this attack in Dehli.”

In U.S. news: Lawmakers burned the midnight oil to get one step closer to a deal to extend the payroll tax cut. News 12 has details.

“The agreement isn't final, but Democrats and Republicans say they have a deal in principle. It would extend a two percent payroll tax cut, through the end of the year. (FLASH) It also renews jobless benefits for the long term unemployed.”

Also in U.S. news — hate telemarketing calls? KATU reports, the FCC got so many complaints about them — the agency is announcing sweeping new rules to help curb automated, so-called “robo-calls.”

“Now companies have to give you the ability to opt out right during the call. (FLASH) The company has to then disconnect the call and put you on their ‘Do not call’ list.”

Seven former executives of Olympus -- including its former president -- are under arrest this morning for perpretrating what Japanese prosecutors are calling a massive fraud scheme.
The goal -- to hide massive losses in the company’s bottom line in the 1990s.
Here’s Bloomberg.

“Got the fax from police right here. Independent panel called them yes men. Today they’ve been arrested in helping perpetrate Olympus’s 1.7 billion dollar accounting fraud.”

And in tech news — Apple has responded to mounting user complaints about apps that store contact information without explicit permission. KGO explains.

“Apple is changing its policy to require app makers to get approval... (FLASH) Apps that upload contact information now have to be updated or removed from the store.”

Stay with Newsy for more news and analysis throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Jim Flink. Highlighting the top headlines to make you smarter, faster.

Kellogg to Pay $2.7B for Pringles: Good Buy?

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:00:07 -0600

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(Image source: Bloomberg)

BY DAVID EARL

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

Maybe you used to do some lunchroom swapping to get your hands on the stackable, not-potato-chip-potato-chip. Turns out Kellogg’s want to swap for them too – but instead of lunch, they’re trading a big bag of bills.

“Kellogg’s is paying $2.7 billion in cash -- cold hard cash -- for Pringles snacks.”

Fox Business has the interview with the CEO of Kellogg on Wednesday. He says his company is big, and likes that it’s getting bigger.

“The Kellogg’s company is the the world’s second-largest cookie and cracker company, and this now makes us the second-largest savory snack company as well.”

And a Wall Street Journal reporter says— for the traditional cereal company, snapping up snacks is smart.

“In a lot of the countries where it’s trying to grow, like Asia, I think it’s tough to do cereal ... Is that a cultural thing? I think people aren’t as into cereal in some places.”

But Bloomberg Businessweek points out — this is actually the SECOND bid to buy the Pringles brand from P&G. The original bid came from Diamond Foods.

“The [first] deal collapsed after Diamond Foods last week replaced its chief executive officer and restated earnings for the past two years after the board found payments to walnut growers had been booked in the wrong periods."

With the completion of this sale, P&G will officially exit the food business. But that was the plan all along according to an InformationWeek article featuring an interview with P&G CEO Bob McDonald.

“P&G won't lose innovation capacity with the sale of Pringles ... because Pringles is the last of P&G's food businesses, so it wasn't contributing a lot to the collective knowledge from which other businesses could draw.”

So P&G sheds a black sheep and Kellogg’s gains a high-profile snacking staple. Win-win. And according to CNBC, the deal between Kellogg’s and P&G won’t spell downsizing at Pringles.

“Now the 1700 workers at Pringles? Just expected to trade jersey colors.”

News of the deal had Kellogg’s shares up nearly 6 percent during Wednesday trading.

FCC Denies LightSquared, Cites GPS Interference

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:00:06 -0600

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(Image Source: LightSquared.com)

BY BREANA JONES

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and... LightSquared? LightSquared had hopes to be the next major wireless broadband network in the U.S., but the Federal Communications Commission said no. Bloomberg explains why.

“The Federal Agencies coming out and saying that the Lightsquared network interferes with GPS devices and can’t be fixed and because of that the government is revoking its initial approval of the network.”

The FCC isn’t just worried about your Garmin not getting you to grandma’s house. The interference with GPS will affect U.S. military and aviation systems that rely on the same airwaves. Leaders in the industry say the risk is just too great.

“Operating on that upper 10 megahurtz of frequency, closest to GPS, all of the testing that’s been done so far, all of the analysis shows that would be catastrophic. You would have wide spread outages of GPS.” (Video Source: CSPAN)

You may be thinking... why don’t all these systems have their own frequencies? CNN explains it’s a bit more complicated than that.

“...the GPS companies have been jumping the fence for years, picking up signals transmitted through their neighbors' property. It had gone unnoticed, since LightSquared and its predecessors hadn't been using the spectrum until recently... Even though the interference issues aren't LightSquared's fault, the FCC said its hands are tied.”

A VP for LightSquared blasted the GPS companies— accusing them of using lobbying — not innovation — to protect their systems.

“Like Wall Street, the manufacturers of GPS devices have spent years profiting off of vulnerable technology and are now seeking protection from the government instead of implementing the necessary reforms.”

TIME says the biggest loser in the decision isn’t Lightsquared, but the public that’s missing out on a greater selection of wireless providers.

“LightSquared had struck wholesale deals with many smaller, regionally-based companies eager to offer broadband — companies that would have been able to bring-much needed competition into the market, putting downward pressure on prices.”

Twitter Under Fire for Storing Contact Info

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:00:04 -0600

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(Image Source: Gizmodo)

BY MICHAEL COLLINS

ANCHOR LAUREN ZIMA

Social networking site Twitter admits it collects and keeps some users’ mobile data for up to a year and a half — without consent.

Here’s how it works. When Twitter users search for friends to add via their phone’s contact list, they allow Twitter access to their contact information and data. According to ZDNet ...

“The Twitter application... does not ask for permission before it scans your contacts and reveals your contacts’ Twitter accounts. Looking into Twitter’s privacy policy, it does not explicitly disclose that it uploads and stores your contact information.”

The LA Times uncovered the practice on Tuesday, and immediately contacted Twitter. In response, a Twitter spokesperson says...

“We want to be clear and transparent in our communications with users ... in our next app updates... we are updating the language associated with Find Friends -- to be more explicit. In place of 'Scan your contacts,' we will use ‘Upload your contacts’ and ‘Import your contacts’.”

Twitter could potentially sell user information to third-party investors. But All Things D points out, apps like Twitter typically just store users’ contact info in order to...

“...connect users with friends who join the service at a later date. However, many apps could do more to access and store this data in an encrypted and anonymized way...”

A tech blogger for Silicon Valley adds — it’s fine for social networks to store data in order to connect users. The key question is — are companies being open about their data storage policies?

“...it’s about transparency and security. Are the companies being clear and honest about what they are collecting and what they are doing with it? And are they protecting that information?”

Twitter is only the latest company to catch heat over privacy concerns. After a string of poor privacy press coverage— it looks like lawmakers may want to get involved. Broadcasting & Cable reports two members of Congress have written to Apple, asking the company....

“...to answer a bunch of questions, including all iOS guidelines on privacy and security of data and what it considers data that requires affirmative consent from the user before it is transmitted.”

Apple has until February 29th to answer those questions.

Kim Kardashian Rumored Back With Reggie Bush

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:02 -0600

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(Image Source: Facebook/Facebook)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

Kim Kardashian’s 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries ended with a divorce filing on Halloween, but they’re still legally married. And now — only three-and-a-half months later — is she dating again? And dating an ex? TMZ reports Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush got lunch together in LA.

“ … the two were smiling and laughing during the lunch date …”

UsWeekly says NFL player Bush has been a comfort for Kim as of late.

“ … the twosome have been catching up a lot lately. ‘Reggie and Kim have been talking since she split with Kris,’ [a] source explains …”

The two dated on and off for years. USA Today notes,

“Kim's relationship with Reggie lasted a lot longer than her marriage to Kris Humphries.”

31-year-old Kardashian and 26-year-old Bush last split in March 2010. So — are they reconciling? Kim’s sister Khloe Kardashian spoke with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show. All she would say is, she likes the idea.

“I love The Bush and The Tush. That was iconic for me. I loved them.”
“It’s like Simon and Garfunkel.”

And CinemaBlend writes …

“ … a lot of the reality star’s biggest supporters tend to coalesce around one hypothesis in particular: she married the wrong man. More specifically, she didn’t marry Reggie Bush. … If I were Bush, I’d probably think long and hard before officially committing to this relationship again…”

That advised caution could come from rumors of why the two split — which included that Kardashian’s fame was too much for Bush, and that she cheated on him with Kanye West. KSWB says a reunion will never happen.

“Reggie Bush does not feel comfortable bringing Kim Kardashian home to his mother. That’s not gonna change. And the crazier Kim gets, the more stuff she does — there’s even less of a chance.”

Romney, Santorum Battle for Michigan

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 -0600

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(Image Source Daily Gossip)

BY CODY LAGROW

What once looked like an easy win for Mitt Romney in Michigan’s primary is turning into a battle for the GOP presidential candidates. NBC explains.

"The next major showdown right here in Michigan in less than two weeks, where Santorum hopes to deal rival a devastating loss on what Romney considers his home turf."

Romney grew up in Michigan and his father was a well-known governor of the Great Lakes state. The GOP candidate also won the state in the 2008 republican primary. Detroit News reports that Romney will go into the fight with the upper hand.

“Romney’s big advantages come from the fact that he has experience campaigning in the state, he has the resources to spend money on television ads in all of the Michigan media markets and his campaign’s organizational advantages.”

Romney recently wrote an op-ed piece in Detroit News about the auto bailout and said Detroit would be fine without the president’s intervention. Current TV says this statement shows Romney’s disconnect and could cost him a “w”.

“The jobs of millions of workers would have liquidated also. Sorry, Mitt. Your pandering betrayal is not a forgivable sin. And if you lose in Michigan, this is going to be the reason why.”

Rick Santorum is gaining momentum in the contest and The Washington Post reports that this is an opportunity for the Pennsylvania conservative to wrangle his way to the White House.

“For Santorum, the Michigan contest is a chance to show that he can appeal to more than social conservatives and that he can mount the kind of broad-based campaign needed to win the nomination—and defeat Obama in the fall.”

Polling firm Mitchell Research in East Lansing puts Santorum nine points ahead of Romney. The Detroit Free Press asked the firm whether Santorum has the cash to continue.

“Steven Mitchell, the president of Mitchell Research, said, ‘Conservatives are uniting behind Santorum…Now we will have to see if Santorum has the financial resources to compete against Romney’s big money in the state in which he was born and raised.’”

Michigan voters will head to the polls on February 28th.

Dog Show Drops Pedigree Over Depressing Ads

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 -0600

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(Image source: MarketPlace.org)

BY LOGAN TITTLE

Pure pups and mixed mutts don’t mix.

The New York Times reports Westminster Kennel Club cut ties with Pedigree — its chief sponsor for more than two decades. This comes after Pedigree aired this ad encouraging the adoption of shelter dogs.

(video source: WNYC)

“But I know that I am a good dog and I just want to go home.” (video source: Pedigree)

But what’s wrong with giving the under dogs a little airtime? WIAT reports—

“…the Kennel Club says they want viewers to associate their show with a celebration ... not scared and lonely pound puppies.”

Ad Age says Pedigree marketers were surprised by the switch, but the brand might actually benefit from the ban.

“…thanks to an outpouring of support from pet owners upset with the dog show... the brand has seen a ‘one-thousand percent increase’ in fan engagement on Facebook and Twitter…”

And a writer for the Boston Globe thinks both sides have an argument— saying the Kennel Club has every right to pick and choose its own sponsors—

“But a dog show… is the best possible forum to urge the adoption of shelter animals. Instead, the kennel club’s stance only highlights the disconnect between the plight of millions of mutts and the bizarrely cosseted existence of canine 1 percenters.”

The Examiner explains— according to Pedigree—the K9 club did not share the company’s emphasis on shelter adoption. Purina is the new top dog sponsor.

China VP Visit to Iowa Town Surprises Some

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Muscatine Journal)

BY JONATHAN KETZ

You're watching multisource global analysis brought to you by Newsy.

He’s soon to become one of the most powerful men in China, so where does he stop on a five-day visit to the U.S.? Muscatine, Iowa. Ever heard of it?

“The man expected to become China’s next leader Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet with U.S. Congressional leaders later. He will head to Muscatine, Iowa.”

The name’s a little challenging to pronounce if you’re not from the area. Muscatine, Iowa is a town of about 23,000 right along the Mississippi River. The Chinese leader stopped there to talk economic growth and learn more about farming. It turns out — the VP has a little bit of history in the town. WQAD explains.

“His visit to the city will not be his first, and the group that greeted him back in 1985 reunited at the Muscatine Public Library yesterday to do it all over again.”

Mr. Xi came to the town back in 1985 looking for agriculture ideas. And according to WBBM — on the current pit stop — he reconnected with a couple friends he met way back when.

“He’ll meet with the same family that showed him such hospitality by letting him sleep in their home. They remember him as a very polite, young man.”

Polite — and now powerful. A reporter for The Chicago Tribune says — having a guy like Mr. Xi interested in little ol’ Iowa is good for business.

“One of the keys to attracting Chinese investment is building personal relationships... With a connection to the president-in-waiting, Iowa appears to have a leg up on neighboring Midwestern states.”

Mr. Xi was only in Muscatine for about an hour before heading to Des Moines. Most media outlets look at the pit stop as a trip down memory lane — but The New York Times points out — it’s not simply nostalgia.

“Partly, Wednesday’s visit was intended to be about image-making — Mr. Xi, 58, showing off his American rural and agricultural connections, the message being that he is no mere party functionary.”

After Iowa — Mr. Xi is headed to California. That’s for day three of his five day trip.

Republicans and Democrats Agree on Payroll Tax Extension

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:02:00 -0600

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(Image Source: Flickr/KP_Tripathi)

BY VICTORIA CRAIG

In a surprise move Monday, key Congressional Republicans announced they would extend the payroll tax benefits — without finding ways to pay for it. HLN explains the political breakthrough at the nation’s capitol.

“The tax cut was set to expire in about two weeks. Now Republicans say they’re dropping their demand for spending cuts to offset the one hundred billion dollar cost. Republicans say Democrats were not negotiating in good faith.”

Some call it negotiating. Others, like Fox Business’ Stuart Varney, call it caving. But one Fox anchor says Republicans didn’t have any other choice — referencing the same political fight that happened before Christmas.

“It’s a cave but Stuart, how can they not cave? I mean, we knew that they would be boxed in. They were boxed in on this initially. It was a total PR trap.”

But conservative Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist calls it an extremely wise move by GOP leadership — saying the move throws the whole idea of extending the tax cuts back in the Democratic party’s face. In an exclusive interview with NewsMax, he said...

“The move pulled the rug from under the Democrats’ whom, he said, planned to paint Republicans as being against the tax cut in the upcoming election.”

But a reporter for Bloomberg says the about-face on the issue could backfire for House Speaker John Boehner whose Republican colleagues might be against the change of heart.

“It caught a lot of Republicans, and even Democrats off guard FLASH Particularly Republicans who are wondering how they can be hammering the president over his budget and his free spending plans in their eyes, and at the same time, not find some way to pay for this $94 billion price tag.”

A columnist for The Washington Post tells MSNBC how not finding a way to pay for the payroll tax cut extension will affect the nation’s deficit.

“It adds a hundred billion dollars to the deficit. Heck, the president just threw another trillion onto the national debt over ten years yesterday. So, what’s another hundred billion?”

But The New York Times explains Republicans still have a backup plan. They’ll introduce legislation to pass the payroll tax cut extension on its own -- while they continue negotiating how to pay for it and other programs. But Democrats are reluctant.

“By separating the payroll tax from jobless benefits, Republicans have somewhat boxed in Democrats, forcing them to decide whether to accept a stand-alone tax cut that touches nearly all working Americans — and is generally more popular than the additional unemployment insurance — or hold out for a package that covers all three programs, at a cost of about $160 billion.”

The pressure’s on for both parties to come to an agreement. President Obama is turning to social media, encouraging average Americans to weigh in on the fight — asking them to Tweet with the hastag #40dollars and post stories about what they would do with an extra $40 a month in their paychecks if the cut is extended.

School District Revokes LGBT Policy In Light of Suicides

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0600

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(Image Source: WCCO)

BY SCOTT MACDONALD

ANCHOR LAUREN ZIMA

Eight students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District have committed suicide in the past two years. Now the district has voted to remove a controversial policy from its books. WCCO has more.

“The new Respectful Learning Environment policy in the Anoka-Hennepin School District says that teachers ‘should not attempt to persuade students to adopt or reject any particular viewpoint’ and they should ‘affirm the dignity and self-worth of all students.”

Nearly 20 years ago the district, the largest in the state, enacted a policy preventing sex ed teachers from talking about homosexuality as a normal lifestyle. Then in 2009, the school board required teachers to remain neutral on such topics. As the New York Times reports, that’s when the suicides began . . .

“ … leading state officials to declare a ‘suicide contagion.’ Whether antigay bullying contributed to any of these deaths is sharply disputed; some friends and teachers say four of the students were struggling with issues of sexual identity.”

Some in the district argued the old policy restrained teachers from stopping bullying. Others saw efforts to repeal as a push to bring a homosexual agenda into schools, and formed the Parents Action League. Its website states support for the neutrality policy.

“This policy prevents district staff from undermining the very values and beliefs that parents have the right to instill in their children and keeps our classrooms focused on core academics.”

Similarly, Chuck Darrell of the Minnesota Family Council urged the district to address bullying without taking sides on contentious topics.

“... the Minnesota Family Council stands strongly opposed to all kinds of bullying, and that includes GLBT students. However, we believe that bullying policies should focus on the wrong behavior of the bullies and not on the characteristics of the victim.”

Many major media outlets picked up on the story. District superintendent Dennis Carlson called an article in Rolling Stone a "brutal and distorted attack” on the district. Here’s an excerpt from that article.

"‘LGBTQ students don't feel safe at school,’ says Anoka Middle School for the Arts teacher Jefferson Fietek. ‘They're made to feel ashamed of who they are. They're bullied. And there's no one to stand up for them, because teachers are afraid of being fired.’”

In the wake of the national coverage, the school board announced it was looking into revising the neutrality policy, and invited community discussion. Monday’s meeting had ninety minutes of debate from both sides. The American Independent quoted one.

“A grandmother named Susan appeared before the board to testify against the more inclusive policy. ‘The classroom is no place to push the homosexual agenda,’ [she said.] ‘We have people trying to shove this lifestyle down our throat trying to teach our children what it is all about.’”

KMSP shows a view from Anoka-Hennepin student Macky Barnette.

“... why can we not acknowledge that something in our system is wrong? Whether kids in our schools like it or not, someday they will come in contact with a gay or lesbian person, and, whether that be at work or in college, they need to be respectful.”

In the end, the board voted 5-1 to adopt the new Respectful Learning Environment policy. The Pioneer Press reports that most board members were happy with the vote. But the next step for the district is to settle two lawsuits brought by students who accuse the school board of subjecting them to a hostile learning environment.

Newsy Now: February 15 (1700 GMT)

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:49:40 -0600

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(Image Source: euronews)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Violence continues in Syria — an explosion hit a major oil pipeline in Homs, with the government blaming “terrorists” for the destruction. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly moves to vote on a draft resolution. The French foreign minister says the vote will be symbolic — though the hope is it would send a message. Here’s euronews.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe: “...but if we have more than 130 or 140 countries in the world saying ‘Stop the massacre, that is enough.’ The Arab League plan must now be implemented,’ I think that symbol will be strong.”

Italian prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison term for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. He is accused of bribing his former tax lawyer. BBC explains.

“Mr Berlusconi’s accused of paying the British lawyer, David Mills, around about $600,000 — €450,000 — to provide false testimonies on several trials against him in the 1990s.”

A fire in a Honduran prison has killed at least 272 inmates. A local forensic officer tells Reuters that’s a preliminary report — indicating the death toll could quickly rise. KING has more.

“The prison in central Honduras held about 800 inmates. Security officials fear many inmates have escaped during the fire. So far, no word on the cause of that fire.”

The Iranian nuclear agency says the country’s first fuel rods have passed performance tests and are now inside a research reactor in Tehran. CNN has more.

“The rod is made of enriched uranium, which is generally used to fuel power plants, but can also provide material for making atomic bombs.”

And finally: Your favorite shade of lipstick may contain... lead. That’s what the U.S. FDA is saying, after a recent test of popular lipsticks in the market. KCRA says L’Oreal and Procter and Gamble are among the offending brands.

“L’Oreal made half of the 10 lipsticks that tested with the most lead. The worst offender: Color Sensational Pink Petal. A lead can lead to kidney damage and reduced IQ.”

Stay with Newsy for more analyses on news throughout the day.

Daily Caller Adds Fuel to Fox News-Media Matters Feud

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:00:08 -0600

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Image source: Wikimedia Commons

BY ZACH TOOMBS

Conservative blog The Daily Caller is calling out Media Matters. Tucker Carlson — the blog’s editor and a Fox News contributor — reports the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America considered launching an all-out campaign against Fox News. He spoke to Fox’s Steve Doucey on Tuesday about e-mails obtained by The Daily Caller.

“This is a plan to discredit Fox in the eyes of its viewers. And one of the ideas in this memo is to send private investigators to look into the personal lives of Fox News anchors, reporters, staff.”

The Daily Caller’s report relies on anonymous sources — current and former Media Matters employees, Carlson says. And it centers on an email sent from Media Matters contributor Karl Frisch to the organization’s head — David Brock. The Daily Caller reports, in that email, Frisch lays out a series of ideas to humiliate Fox News, including:

“... ‘detailed opposition research’ on the network’s staff and executives, attacks against Fox News employees on Facebook and other social media, mailing anti-Fox News literature to their homes and placing ‘yard signs and outdoor advertising in their neighborhoods.’”

On its own website, Media Matters has plenty of firepower aimed at Fox News but no response to The Daily Caller report as of Tuesday evening.

But Mediaite.com quotes another unnamed source from Media Matters, who argues The Daily Caller report is suspiciously timed near the release of Media Matters new book -- a book that calls Fox a “propaganda machine.”

“... [the report] comes one week before our book, The Fox Effect comes out, and Tucker Carlson is a Fox News contributor. This is an anonymously-sourced Daily Caller story, and that’s how we’re treating it.”

Tuesday’s report was just one installment in a series. The Caller also reported Media Matters coordinated with several well-known reporters, including former POLITICO scribe Ben Smith. According to the Caller, one unnamed former employee of Media Matters said:

“ ‘Ben Smith [formerly of Politico, now at BuzzFeed.com] will take stories and write what you want him to write.’ Staffers at Media Matters ‘knew they could dump stuff to Ben Smith… so that’s where they sent it.’ ”

But POLITICO’s media reporter, Dylan Byers defended his former colleague.

“In publishing those quotes without providing evidence, the Daily Caller has put accusations on the public record regardless of whether or not they carry any weight ... Carlson's own feelings about these reporters' relationship to Media Matters falls very much in line with that of the anonymous sources.”

Despite the drama, one Yahoo! contributor wonders why anyone, including Fox News and Media Matters, should hold news outlets and watchdogs to bias-free standards.

“The Media Matters ‘expose’ doesn't matter because I realize there are media critics on all sides. Fox News often plays host to the conservative Media Research Center ... Any discerning citizen should be capable of determining which groups have political slants, and which do not, and gather information accordingly.”

Hugh Hefner’s Son Arrested For Allegedly Attacking Playmate

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:00:04 -0600

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(Image Source: TMZ)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

Hugh Hefner’s 21-year-old son has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence -- against his Playmate-of-the-year girlfriend. WPLG reports.

“Police arrested Marston Hefner at the apartment he shares with his girlfriend. Officers say they found her with minor injuries. Marston Hefner was released yesterday after posting $20,000 bail.”

The woman is 20-year-old Claire Sinclair -- the 2011 Playmate of the Year. But while the injuries might be described as minor, KGTV reports …

“Hefner punched and kicked Sinclair in the stomach, then refused to let them leave the home the two share in Pasadena.”

The Pasadena Star News reported Monday Sinclair is seeking a temporary restraining order against Hefner, though she Tweeted soon after the incident.

“‘There’s two types of pain in the world - pain that hurts you, and pain that makes you stronger.’”

Now, TMZ has photos of the injuries, and quotes Sinclair …

“‘I will not press charges against Marston Hefner if he keeps his word to give a public apology for physically abusing me on several occasions, and seeks psychiatric help for his anger issues.’”

But The Huffington Post spoke with the Pasadena Police Department. A lieutenant says it’s the state’s choice to prosecute. And what will all this mean for Hugh Hefner and the Playboy brand? A writer for The Stir analyzes the Playboy environment…

“Although spending the better part of one's youth surrounded by unbelievably hot women has its obvious perks for a young boy, it clearly has its downfalls, too. Watching women … parade around half-nude 24:7 ... has to give you a seriously warped sense of females and the role they play in your life.”

And on KTTV …

“This is embarrassing for the Playboy brand. Hefner is the embodiment of Playboy, and Playboys shouldn’t be doing this.”
“No. No one should.”

What does dad Hugh have to say? People magazine spoke with him.

“‘If they care about each other, they'll patch it up…’”

ABC reports the couple has been dating since August 2010.

What Happened to the Tea Party?

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:00:03 -0600

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(Image Source: The New York Times)

BY DAVID EARL

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

You couldn’t talk about politics during the 2010 election without mentioning tea. The grassroots Tea Party movement claimed candidates … who won elections, and even created their own caucuses in Congress. But, as the 2012 cycle heats up, has the tea gone cold? NPR has reflections from a New York Times reporter.

“The Tea Party was always going to be a phenomenon of a midterm elections ... and when you have smaller voter turnout a group like the Tea Party can have more of an influence.”

The headlines agree. The Tea Party hasn’t been as big a force this election cycle. But don’t tell that to Rick Santelli. The man who some credit with the start of the Tea Party movement after a TV rant … has another rant ready … this time for CNBC.

“While the vandals are on the street corners, the Tea Party Conservatives? They’re working the state houses, the governorships, the mayorships, the Senate, the House.”

So according to Santelli, the Tea Party is largely silent because it did its job. It got its candidates into the halls of power. But the Daily Beast says while there aren’t the massive rallies of 2010, the Tea Party is still a part of the 2012 campaign conversation.

“...while the Tea Parties may not be dictating who the candidate is this year, they certainly have dictated the issues the candidates are talking about and what they are saying, particularly in the area of fiscal restraint, free-market capitalism, and the virtues of the Tea Party’s favorite historical document, the U.S. Constitution.”

And the Tea Party’s lack of active participation in picking a candidate this election cycle might be on purpose. On the topic of candidates, Tea Party leader Mark Meckler tells the Daily Caller ...

“‘Nobody’s thrilled. … I’m not seeing any sort of consensus around any of the candidates because I don’t think anybody’s entirely satisfied,’ he said. Asked to name leaders that tea partiers wished would have run, Meckler mentioned Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.”

But a Tea Party member tells WTSP in Tampa the thing about the party is … well … it’s NOT a party.

“We’re not a national party, we’re a national movement.”

The $17B Business of Valentine's Day

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0600

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(Image source: MSNBC)

BY DAVID EARL

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

February 14th. V-Day. A stress-inducer for millions. But while you’re worrying about the flowers, the chocolate, the bling and the perfect card — your wallet is getting getting a workout. A Wall Street Journal reporter says cut it out.

“This is ridiculous, why is everyone crowding into these restaurants for these grossly overpriced meals when the same restaurant will be half-full, you’ll get better service, better food, for a lot less, a week from now!”

Now, we don’t want to get that reporter in trouble. He later says every day is Valentine’s Day with his wife. But, the point remains. There’s a lot of money that changes hands — all in the name of love — on February 14th. One of the men who gets your money wants you to keep spending. CNBC has the head of Godiva Chocolate...

“It’s our Super Bowl. People want to do the right thing: bring chocolate to those they love. Is this the biggest selling day of the year? Today is the biggest day.”

Fox Business reports just exactly how much chocolate gets consumed. It’s a Valentine’s Day staple, but if you thought Americans consumed a ton of chocolate …

“European countries by far — twice the amount of chocolate than here in the U.S., so you see, David, based on that, tremendous opportunity for growth.”

AND … price gouging. You think it happens. MSNBC.com proves it.

“Perhaps ITG restaurant analyst Steve West best summed up the spending attitude of consumers — and thus the inflated pricing of some retailers — on Valentine’s Day when he said, ‘Valentine’s Day is one of those days where, if you’re a guy and you have a girlfriend, you’ve got to pony up. You have to spend money in order to make her happy.’”

But even if you boycott Valentine’s Day, that’s not a license to be cheap. SmartMoney just says — what else — be smart with your money. Do it all on any day but February 14.

“Every dollar you save today will be worth many times that by the time you need it down the road. The answer to Valentine's Day isn't to scrimp on flowers ... isn't to take your sweetheart to McDonald's. Do Valentine's Day in style. The whole shebang, if you want. But do it on your own schedule.”

The National Retail Federation estimates vendors will rake in $17 BILLION in all of your predictably pink-colored, sentimentally sappy, and overtly overpriced Valentine’s Day merchandise this year. That’s eight-and-a-half percent more than last year.

'Course Correction' Underway at Fox News?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0600

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(Image source: Los Angeles Times)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

Fox News Pres. Roger Ailes called it a “course correction” a few months ago.

But the latest from Politico suggests the “fair and balanced” network is taking a left turn, and its viewers are taking notice.

“The grumblers were picking up on a strategy that has been under way for some time … with the network distancing itself from the tea party cheerleading...”

Consider a few recent developments.

Earlier this month — the cable news network hired Sally Kohn as a contributor. Kohn is an openly gay liberal activist whose hire didn’t sit well with some loyal Fox viewers.

Conservative media watchdog Accuracy in Media took issue, saying...

“The selection of Kohn raises disturbing questions about the direction of Fox News in a critical election year.”

Daily Beast Washington Bureau Chief Howard Kurtz spoke with Ailes in September and reported...

“The left has long branded Fox a propaganda arm... Privately, Fox executives say ... as the Tea Party’s popularity fades, [the network] is edging back toward the mainstream.”

And according to that Politico report — it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Some observers were surprised at the way prime time Fox pundit Bill O’Reilly defended Ellen DeGeneres, who is openly gay and sparked controversy when JC Penney chose to hire her as the store’s spokesperson.

“A conservative group in this country is asking a private company to fire an American citizen based upon her lifestyle. … That’s wrong.”

A blogger for RedState wrote, “Something is happening at Fox News. More often these days I hear the language of the Left entering their news programs.”

But the blog What We Should Know says — this isn’t news. This is business.

“... no business, not even FOX, decides it’s ok to make less money. So move along folks, there is no conspiracy to uncover here. It’s just capitalism at work.”

And if a “course correction” is in the works, fear that conservative viewers are looking elsewhere isn’t reflected in the last week’s worth of ratings.

According to TV Newser data, Fox has been beating out every other cable news network in almost every prime time slot. The only major exception in recent days being CNN’s coverage of singer Whitney Houston’s death — which for most of Saturday evening almost tripled Fox News viewership.

Analysis: China's VP Tours U.S.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:50:17 -0600

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(Image Source: East Asia Forum)

BY BLAKE HANSON

Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping is in the U.S. for a week of meetings. The visit has many analysts offering their take on what this means for future U.S.-China relations with Xi reportedly set to be the next President of China. CBS News has details of the visit....

“His visit here is meant to showcase the economic upside of the U.S.-China relationship. But, it comes at a time of severe tension between the two countries on trade and human rights.”

The visit is Xi’s first to The White House. So how will Xi handle the west? The Wall Street Journal recently published a photo series on a 1980 visit by Xi’s father Xi Zhongxun, writing...

“The photographs are the latest evidence to emerge of the relatively strong links between Xi Jinping’s family and the West, especially compared with the man he is due to replace, Hu Jintao, who only visited the U.S. for the first time in 2002.”

“The Coming Collapse of China” author Gordon Chang disagrees with anyone who calls Xi “pro-western.” He said this in an interview with CNN …

“He may have affection for the United States but every communist leader has institutional constraints which he acts under and right now the hard-liners dominate in Beijing.”

Xi and President Obama have a few things in common. Xi’s daughter is currently a sophomore at President Obama’s alma mater Harvard. Plus, like Obama, Xi’s a big basketball fan and is hoping to check out a Clippers game while in the U.S. Outside of these niceties, ABC News says the visit isn’t that big of a deal...

“ ... no one expects this visit to be a real game changer. Instead, this is Xi’s debut as a world leader, and an indication of how China increasingly sees itself on the world stage, according to experts on China-U.S. relations.”

Meanwhile, NPR talks with China expert Michael Green, who says we won’t see any impact from the visit for a while...

“"The payoff for this visit, for the administration's going to come in a year to two, frankly, when Xi Jinping is president and then eventually chairman of the military commission and so forth.”

Xi’s five-day visit started Tuesday. He’s expected to take China’s helm late this year.

Moody's Downgrades Credit Ratings For Six EU Nations

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:23:12 -0600

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(Image Source: The Times)

BY JIM FLINK

ANCHOR LAUREN GORES

Moody's downgrades the credit ratings of six European Union nations and warns — its top ratings on Austria, France and the U.K. could be at risk as well.

Not so suddenly, nations heavily dependent on the Euro — are reeling all over again.

Here’s euronews.

“The agency said it was making the move because of uncertainty over the eurozone’s prospects for reform. It questioned whether European leaders were doing enough to protect economies from the crisis. The warning to the U.K. comes amidst concern over Britain’s growth prospects.”

The Moody’s bombshell comes fully a month after two other agencies issued similar warnings. So, it’s hardly new news.

Even so, leaders of the Labor Party jumped on the warning to say, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s leadership was off-course.b

Here’s the Telegraph....

“If the ratings agencies are saying that the prospects for growth are materially weaker, then they’re also giving him a warning that our plans for deficit reduction are already in chaos....”

But some are questioning — just who are these ratings agencies anyway?

The BBC’s chief political correspondent says...

“Just a few years ago - before the banking crisis - the international ratings agencies were barely mentioned in any political debate. At Westminster, most MPs would have struggled to name them. I suspect more than a few would have struggled to explain what the ratings agencies did.”

And a Wall Street Journal analyst questions the timing of the Moody’s announcement.

Coming fully a month after S&P and Fitch’s warnings -- and on the heels of Greece’s approval of austerity measures.

“Because, the last thing they need at this stage of the game they need to be lowering their funding cost, and basically people like Moody’s are actually doing this where they’ll actually have to pay more -- who’s side are they on? I guess, the borrowers or the lenders?”

Still, an analyst on Bloomberg says, this downgrade and warning weren’t unexpected.

And will likely continue for as long as the economy hasn’t recovered.

“Each of those countries has to make some credible moves around that. We see that happening. But it’s a slow process. And in the meantime, there’ll be these downgrades until that situation continues to improve.”

Mountain West, C-USA Team Up to Form 'Super Conference'

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:08 -0600

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(Image Source: Mountain West Softball)

BY TOM MARTIN

It’s the NCAA’s neverending story. Conference realignment returned today to take the Mountain West and Conference USA and smush ‘em together.

The yet unnamed 16-team conference plans to start play by fall 2013. Both parties insist it’s not a merger — it’s a new Super Conference, spanning from the Carolinas to Hawaii.

CBS Sports reports, this move — in part — was a reaction:

“Both leagues have suffered significant losses. BYU went independent last season, while TCU is leaving for the Big 12 and Boise State and San Diego State are leaving for the Big East … C-USA also lost Houston, UCF, SMU and Memphis to the Big East.”

So why make the announcement now? A blogger for Mountain West Connection says, follow the money and you’ll find a TV deal:

“The biggest reason to do this is that it will void any television and media rights contract that the two leagues have. This means that instead of waiting until the contracts of both leagues are up … they can get a jump start on finding a new television deal.”

TV rights could help build a profile, but as ESPN’s Andrea Adelson writes, the league’s future plans also include a college football rarity:

“The championship game format, complete with semifinals ... is something most folks have yearned for in college football as a whole. If the league grows to 24 teams, having four teams making it into a ‘championship round’ would seem to increase interest.”

Not everyone’s on board with a nationwide conference. A writer for Crystal Ball Run finds the new expansion trend to be a bit extreme:

“The good news is it's only 4,684 miles from Greenville, North Carolina to Honolulu, Hawaii. That trip could easily be done in a day or two … I'd be shocked if the Big East wasn't already … reaching out to the American University of Paris to retake the title of Most Geographically Ridiculous Conference In The History Of The Universe.”

Again, the new league will have 16 teams – and it could add as many as eight more.

Newsy Now: February 14 (1500 GMT)

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:13:57 -0600

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(Image Source: Daily Mail)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here’s a look at your headlines.

Syrian government forces have reportedly launched another attack on Homs early Tuesday. Witnesses say it’s the heaviest shelling in recent days, with six deaths already reported today. One CNN reporter has crossed into Syria, and she says the situation continues to deteriorate.

“The area where the government crackdown is at its worst, people say there are snipers positioned on every single street corner...”

European shares of stock and the euro both fell on the opening bell Tuesday, after the ratings agency Moody’s warned that France, Austria and the UK could all lose their AAA ratings. The agency has cut the ratings of six other countries, including Spain and Portugal. euronews explains.

“The agency said it was making the move because of uncertainty over the eurozone’s prospects for reform, and it questioned whether European leaders are doing enough to protect economies from the crisis.”

U.S. House Republicans have dropped their opposition to extending the payroll tax cut. The extension was set to expire two weeks from now. HLN has more.

“Republicans said they weren't going to pass this unless it came with a way to pay for it. This is about $100 billion overall. However, they have dropped their opposition to this.”

In the U.S., two weeks before the Michigan primary — GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum moves ahead of Mitt Romney in polls there. Romney was born in Michigan, and his father served as governor there in the 1960s. MSNBC says a Santorum win would be a significant game-changer.

Morning Joe: “If he wins in Michigan, we have to reassess this race completely, don't we? We need to stop calling Mitt Romney the front runner.”
Mark McKinnon: “Absolutely. It shows in this day and age with technology and media, how little money and organization really mean.”

Stay with Newsy for more news analyses throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines making you smarter, faster.

Obama Unveils $3.8T Budget

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:00:07 -0600

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(Image source: The New York Times)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

President Obama laid out his 2013 spending priorities by formally unveiling his $3.8 trillion federal budget Monday.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “At a time when we are growing and creating jobs at a faster clip, we have got to do everything in our power to keep this recovery on track. … We can cut back on the things we need, but we also have to be sure everyone is paying their fair share we do need.” (VIDEO FROM C-SPAN)

The president says both spending cuts AND higher taxes are needed to bring down the federal deficit.

But The Wall Street Journal says it just ain’t gonna happen.

“None of this is going to become law. At best it will shape whatever the budget is for next year on the margins. But mostly this is a political statement about what President Obama values and what he would do if he were reelected.”

Not gonna happen — because as HLN points out if we learned anything from last summer’s debt ceiling debacle — it’s that Congress is divided.

“Republicans say the plan includes too much spending and not enough cuts. And since they control the House, this could mean another big fight over the budget.”

The proposal calls for more than $475 billion in spending on transportation and infrastructure. Where’s the money coming from? The president says in part from savings from the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Republicans call that a budget gimmick — and The Hill notes...

“Republicans seized the moment to criticize him for failed promises because he had promised to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term. The current budget proposal comes after a fourth year of deficits exceeding $1 trillion and a 2013 shortfall of more than $900 billion.”

The president also calls for revenue raising with a $1.5 trillion tax increase on the wealthiest Americans. That’s a non-starter for Republicans. But The Daily Beast’s Daniel Stone says if the GOP wants to obstruct, the White House is more than happy to portray them as anti-middle class.

“Faced with the reality of Republican unwillingness, the White House didn’t blink. The president has a responsibility to lay out his vision, says one aide... If the GOP doesn’t want to play ball, ‘then let’s have that debate.’”

But at the end of the day — MSNBC’s Luke Russert says both sides are playing politics.

“This budget is nothing else than setting up a parameter for President Obama to argue with during the election year. … Republicans will have their own budget in March. … No side essentially is putting forward an idea to move in a way that is meaningful.”

MySpace Making a Comeback?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:00:05 -0600

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(Image Source: Myspace.com)

BY BREANA JONES

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Is MySpace on its way back to the top? The site was once the social networking darling before competitors like Facebook and Twitter took the crown. But some analysts say it could be making a comeback after pulling in impressive numbers so far this year. Bloomberg has the details.

“The company announcing today that it signed on 1 million users since December, when it introduced a new music player. Of course, the site has been hemorrhaging users since when it was in its peak in 2008.”

Membership is still down overall — but traffic IS up. The turnaround could be the result of a number of factors. The Herald Sun says Myspace is “getting its sexy back” thanks to new co-owner Justin Timberlake, who bought the company with brothers Chris and Tim Vanderhook back in June.

“The singer-turned-actor plunged much of his own money into the deal because he wanted for users to have place where they ‘can can go to interact with their favorite entertainers, listen to music, watch videos, share and discover cool stuff and just connect’.”

CNN says the change in approach is paying off for the pioneer site once thought to be banished to the social media graveyard.

“The new owners ... have effectively stopped trying to compete with Facebook and other social sites, instead focusing on Myspace’s superior platform for posting and listening to music.”

And according to The New York Times, MySpace may have found its niche.

“Since it still has full licensing deals with thousands of record labels, as well as songs from untold numbers of unsigned acts, MySpace has a library of 42 million tracks, several times more than Spotify or Rhapsody.”

Ironically, MySpace credits its integration with Facebook and Twitter as a reason its new user numbers are so high. Up next for Myspace? A deal with Panasonic to put an app on HDTVs.

Serial Killer's Map Leads to Mass Grave

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0600

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(Image source: Craig Sanders/The Record)

BY EMILY SPAIN

You're watching multisource U.S. news analysis from Newsy.

After digging 45 feet deep into a well, authorities in northern California found more than 300 human bones, clothing and jewelry. This discovery, thanks to the map drawn by a serial killer on death row.

KOVR has more on the gruesome find.

REPORTER: “And now for the first time cameras allowed in as San Joaquin Sheriff’s Deputies dig for victims of Welsey Shermantine and Loren Herzog better known as the ‘Speed Freak Killers’ and today more bones.”
RECORD REPORTER: “They’re going through on their hands and knees.”

The two men involved in the crimes, Shermantine and Herzog, were childhood friends. They were both arrested in 1999 and convicted of murder.

Prosecutors accuse the pair, hooked on methamphetamine at the time, of murdering 20 people in the 1980’s and 90’s. Two days before the well discovery, Shermantine also led authorities to two women’s bodies. Investigators believe at least 10 bodies of missing persons were dumped in the well.

A reader of the Sacramento Bee hopes the discovery will help the victims’ families.

“What's important, is this will finally bring closure to the families involved.”

Shermantine’s accomplice Herzog committed suicide while on parole a month ago. He got out of jail after a court threw out his confession. His death comes after word got out about Shermantine’s plans to tell police where Herzog dumped his victims. Shermantine wrote to The Record insisting— he’s innocent.

"I really don't know how many victims he has in his burial ground...I will always plead my innocence, for I've not killed anyone."

That letter was from last October— but authorities are just now digging into the well. A local bounty hunter tells Fox News— it took officials so long because they didn’t believe Shermantine’s confession.

“Shermantine told me and sent me a map saying there’s 12 bodies in this well. Now they’re starting to pay attention to all the information we’ve given then, because up until then they thought Shermantine was just lying about all this.”

Authorities tell The Record the well could be at least 70 feet deep and searchers could be there for weeks. DNA results of victims will take about 10 days.

Transcript by Newsy.

Should Newt Gingrich Drop Out of the Race?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:25:05 -0600

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(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Mitt’s got momentum. Rick’s on a roll. Paul’s got passion.

And Newt Gingrich?

WOFL: “Where is Newt Gingrich? He seems to have fallen off the face of the map.”

C-SPAN: “Newt Gingrich in need of cash.”

CNN: “Trouble for Newt Gingrich no doubt about it.”

The former house speaker placed fourth — essentially, last — in Maine’s caucus. And he took third in a small but influential Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll. Mother Jones Washington editor David Corn put it this way:

“Perhaps the most significant aspect of CPAC poll is Gingrich receiving just 15%. If he can't impress that crowd, it's a bad sign.”

To boot — The New York Times is reporting Gingrich is hitting a roadblock in fundraising.

And Monday morning — the editorial board of the conservative National Review Online urged the speaker to leave the race and make room for the other not-Mitt candidates.

“When he led [Rick] Santorum in the polls, he urged the Pennsylvanian to leave the race. On his own arguments the proper course for him now is to endorse Santorum and exit.”

But Gingrich has vowed to stay in the race. And analysts on WTXF say — he’s banking on the southern states of Super Tuesday for a super comeback.

“We have those two now, two-man race, Santorum and Romney. It depends, Gingrich should win Georgia. That is his home state.”

A Public Policy Polling poll finds — without Gingrich in the running — Rick Santorum gets 50 percent of the GOP vote. But does that mean Gingrich should drop out? The Washington Post’s The Fix blog says, not necessarily.

“Gingrich could point out that the poll analysis is wrong — were Gingrich (or Santorum) to drop out, polling shows it would only help [Romney] expand his lead. So those hoping to rally voters around a single ‘conservative alternative’ are misguided. He could argue that Santorum has an equally difficult path to victory.”

The week will be relatively quiet in terms of high-profile campaign events. The next contests are in Arizona and Michigan at the end of the month.

Police Arrest First Suspect in Videotaped Gay Beating

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:30:00 -0600

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(Image Source: WSB-TV)

BY KYLIE MCGIVERN

Atlanta Police have arrested one of three suspects in the videotaped beating of a 20-year-old gay man.

18-year-old Christopher Cain is one of the attackers in this video that went viral. The young men, who call themselves part of the “Jack City” gang, ambushed Brandon White and repeatedly yelled an anti-gay slur.

Here’s CNN with White’s take on the attack.

“I feel as though I should have justice. Because those guys didn’t feel my pain. They didn’t care whether or not I was injured. I could have died that day.”

Reports say police charged Cain with aggravated assault and robbery. HLN reports this crime is more than an isolated incident.

KEITH BOYKIN: “I think we have a culture in our society that says homophobia is still tolerable - whether you’re a TV commentator, whether you’re a football player...”

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL: “Look, it’s in the movies everywhere. ‘That’s so gay,’ people say it all the time.”

But as the Georgia Voice reports, State Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta) is trying to bring change. At a rally held in honor and support of White, Rashad announced his plans to introduce a state hate crimes bill -- a direct response to the attack.

"We have a federal hate crimes law. But there's no law here in Georgia that says its a crime to beat a man because he is gay, no law in Georgia that says it a crime to beat someone because they're Jewish, because they are a lesbian, because they're black, because they don't look like you … We've got to get back that here in this state."

Congressman and Civil Rights Activist John Lewis also spoke at the rally, which was held the same day police arrested Cain. WGCL reports...

Congressman and Civil Rights Activist JOHN LEWIS: “We cannot discriminate against someone because that person happens to be straight or gay. We are all one people, we are family, we are brothers and sisters.”

Police say they’ve identified two other suspects, but the men have not been arrested, nor their names released.

Jump in Plastic Surgery Rates Linked to Improving Economy

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:08 -0600

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(Image source: Gawker)

BY BRICE SANDER

There’s an old saying that goes, when the economy rises, so do women’s hemlines. But now, USA Today suggests a lift in hemlines isn’t the only way to tell if the economy’s on the upswing.

“Plastic surgery numbers may not be perfect economic indicators – but they are going in the same upward direction as the stock market and employment rate, after falling during the recession … Americans got about 1.6 million cosmetic procedures in 2011, the second year of increase after a big drop in 2009...”

The numbers come from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ annual report. Health Aim runs through 2011’s most popular procedures — and a few declines.

“Breast implants increased by 4 percent, liposuction rose by 1 percent, and facelifts up by 5 percent. There are some procedures that experienced drops as well. Nose jobs dropped by 3 percent and eyelid surgeries by 6 percent.”

Non-surgical procedures, like Botox and facial fillers, weren’t included in those numbers, but more people are reportedly requesting those, too. Gawker looks into the increase.

“… it’s not just the economy, stupid. Many procedures have become less expensive and more finely tuned, which means a much lower chance that you'll end up looking like Jocelyn Wildenstein, [the cat lady]. Of course, surgeries still haven't hit the heights of 2005's Golden Plastic Age, when Americans endured a whopping 2.1 million surgeries.”

The Society suggests an increase in information on social media sites is leading more people to go under the knife. Media Bistro finds that a little funny.

“So if you’re considering getting a little Botox, Angelina’s lips or some brand new ears, there is certainly a huge wealth of information on Twitter, like plastic surgery-related accounts and your friend’s opinions. Just be sure you don’t make a decision to go under the knife based on what you heard in 140 characters.”

But the Associated Press found an even more probable cause for the rise in plastic surgery rates — aging baby boomers seeking the fountain of youth.

Woman Punches Son at Anger Management Class

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:07 -0600

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(Image source: The Smoking Gun)

BY BRICE SANDER

Say you have a history of violent behavior, but you want to work on it. So, you start anger management classes. Sounds like a step in the right direction, right? Well, until you allegedly punch your kid in the face during one of those classes. Kentucky’s WDRB reports.

“Reports say Misty Lawson’s son suffered a bruise on his cheek and redness to his eye. The counselor reported it to police. Lawson is charged with assault...”

The Smoking Gun interviewed the 30-year-old mom from Louisville, who tried to explain what allegedly happened.

“Lawson acknowledged that she ‘smacked’ her son twice in the face after he called her a ‘bitch.’ The boy, she added, has significant behavioral problems and was trying to attack her when she hit him. ‘They make it sound like I beat my child like an adult,’ said Lawson.”

This isn’t the first time Lawson’s made it into the news. The New York Post walks us through another child-related charge on her rap sheet.

“Lawson was previously arrested in June 2011 on charges of wanton endangerment and endangering the welfare of a minor for leaving [her sons], ages nine and 12, in the sweltering backseat of a car while she and a man went into a store to have their pictures taken.”

Those charges were dropped, but Lawson’s bouts with the law don’t stop there — The Daily Mail reports she’s also received stolen property, been found in the possession of pot, resisted arrest and been held in contempt of court. (Video: WLKY)

Kentucky court records don’t show that she’s been convicted on any of those charges. Still — a Gather blogger questions how she still has the rights to her kids.

“Really, anger management only works if you're smart enough to be a functional member of society. That is obviously something Misty Lawson is not … CPS needs to remove these children from her care. And while they're at it, they should sterilize this idiot so she doesn't use the term ‘professional baby maker’ as her Facebook career label anymore.”

While Gather might be taking it a little far there — remember, she hasn’t been found guilty of anything yet — Lawson is expected to appear in court Tuesday for the assault charges.

Apple Attacks Samsung Smartphone, Files Injunction

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:00:06 -0600

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(Image source: engadget.com)

BY STACEY WELSH

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

Apple wants to stop sales of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone altogether. The company filed a lawsuit, targeting Samsung for patent violations, and has asked the courts for an injunction against sales of the phone. PCWorld reports the lawsuit involves Apple patents...

“...that [allow] users to touch a phone number on a Web page to dial the number, word placement, Siri voice recognition and unified search, and the ability to unlock a smartphone by sliding an image from one location to another.”

Analyst Florian Mueller writes on his blog, FOSS Patents, the legal case for Apple’s patents is strong, since they’re focusing on technical patents instead of design rights, calling the features...

“...the patent equivalent of the four horsemen of the apocalypse... the ‘data tapping’ patent, should be a slam dunk. It succeeded in the [International Trade Commission], a notoriously difficult forum where only about 1 out of 20 smartphone-related patents is deemed violated.”

Apple Insider suggests the suit would hit Samsung’s profits hard because Google has not rolled out its latest Android 4.0 software used in Samsung products.

“That Apple is taking direct aim at the Galaxy Nexus is interesting in that the model represents the latest version of Android 4.0 software, as well as being the latest official Google-led design … This takes Apple's infringement case directly to Google's Android...”

This isn’t the first time Apple has gone head-to-head with Samsung. CNET News writes:

“Their ongoing global legal dispute was kicked off with a U.S. lawsuit filed by Apple against Samsung in April of last year that said Samsung was violating its intellectual property ... Samsung quickly countersued, saying Apple was infringing on multiple patents.”

A Forbes writer says Apple’s tactic of trying to kill two birds with one stone underscores the need for serious patent reform.

“I hate to watch competition that ought to be taking place on store shelves take place in courtrooms instead. But for now we have the patent system we have, and both Google and Samsung look like they might be in trouble.”

Newsy Now: February 13 (1400 GMT)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:14:26 -0600

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(Image source: The Telegraph)

BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here’s a look at your headlines.

Riots break out on the streets of Athens as Greece approves another round of unpopular austerity measures. CNN shows us the scene and explains the anger behind it.

“...banks and shops firebombed. You’re taking a look at it right there. ... Greeks are so angry that they’ve already endured two years of harsh austerity cuts. They’ve seen their standards of living drop off a cliff.”

In the U.S., President Barack Obama is expected to unveil his 2013 budget today. The plan sets out to reduce the deficit while increasing spending in areas like transportation. The election-year budget battle is already brewing. Commentators on Fox News call Obama’s plan a contradiction.

“President Obama said, ‘I will cut the deficit in half.’ Instead, the budget which is going to be presented today will raise the deficit this year to $1.33 trillion.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s prime minister is pleading not guilty after being charged with contempt following his refusal to open corruption cases. He could be forced to step down, and face up to six months in jail. Here’s euronews...

“The case has raised tension between Pakistan’s civilian leaders and top judges. And there are fears it could paralyze decision-making. ... The Supreme Court’s action has been widely praised by newspapers and analysts. Corruption is the country’s number one problem according to most opinion polls.”

Stars paid tribute to the late diva Whitney Houston at the Grammys last night. Singer Jennifer Hudson sang Houston’s hit “I Will Always Love You.” Here’s a clip from MSNBC.

And British singer Adele was the night’s big winner, sweeping all categories she was nominated in, including the Song, Record and Album of the Year awards.

Stay with Newsy for more news analyses throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines, making you smarter, faster.

University Accused of Being a 'Diploma Mill'

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:05 -0600

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(IMAGE: The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead)

BY BLAKE HANSON

A suicide, campus lockdown and fake degrees. All those elements are making for a dramatic storyline at a small university in North Dakota. Fox News has more...

“Imagine getting a college degree, without doing any work. That is apparently what’s happened at Dickinson State University. ... Since 2003, the school awarded diplomas to more than 500 foreign students, mostly from China, who did not earn them.”

The discovery came as the result of an audit. And shortly after its findings were released, a school dean and professor committed suicide. KFYR has details...

“Authorities have confirmed that they have found the body of Doug LaPlante. ... They had reason to believe he left his home carrying a high-caliber rifle and as a precaution locked down the campus at DSU.”

LaPlante’s name was not in the audit report but he was Dean of the College of Education, Business and Applied Science — and some of the degrees that went out were to business students. A blogger for Mobile Tribune says the degree incident is another example of a growing amount of bad school news...

“If you are Chinese or Russian, have the money and want an easy way to score a real college diploma, Dickinson State University could have been the place for you … I don't know about you but I have grown weary of schools in the news. Sounds like we need to see more news about prisons.”

Meanwhile — Bloomberg ties the incident to another rising issue: taking advantage of Chinese students.

“Dickinson’s practices may fuel the growing debate about the recruiting and exploitation of Chinese students increasingly sought by U.S. colleges. About 57,000 Chinese undergraduates attended American colleges in 2010-2011, six times as many as in 2005-2006, according to the Institute of International Education.”

According to the audit, Dickinson State University could face penalties from the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State.

Pittsburgh Steelers Cutting Ties with Hines Ward

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:03 -0600

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(Image Source: Cincinnati.com)

BY ANDREW CARTER

ANCHOR BLAKE HANSON

Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver Hines Ward is willing to restructure his contract to remain with the team. The 14-year-veteran and career Steeler expressed this after NFL.com reported the team is planning on cutting their all-time leading receiver. Behind the Steel Curtain reacts.

“Would it seem weird for me to see Ward's famous smile under a different colored helmet? No doubt ... No matter where he finishes his career, Hines will always be a Steeler to me.”

Ward turns 36 next month, and is one of only two receivers to have multiple Super Bowls and 1,000 career receptions. There has been speculation if Ward would even consider playing for another team, but Pittsburgh Review Tribune writer Scott Brown tells ESPN he has no doubt.

“He has no intentions on retiring, so as weird as it would be for Steelers’ fans, if they don’t bring back Hines Ward they’re going to have to get used to seeing him in another uniform.”

What uniform could Ward be wearing come next season? The New England Patriots are known for picking up wide receivers at the tail end of their career, but the New England Sports Network says he isn’t on the Pats' short list.

“Sure, Ward would be a nice role player in New England, but he'd only be about Plan D. Plus, as experiments have shown with Chad Ochocinco, Joey Galloway and Torry Holt, the veteran additions don't always work out, regardless of a player's past success.”

In an era of free agency and rampant player movement, it’s not uncommon for stars to play out their last years for different franchises. After Ward posted his plea on his Facebook page to remain a Steeler, it’s clear he will have a solid fan base wherever he ends up. Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports.

“His popularity is such that, within an hour of posting his statement on Facebook, he had received more than 2,000 responses. By early evening, he had almost twice as many responses and more than 28,000 likes.”

Ward holds almost every Steeler receiving record, but based on playing time against the Denver Broncos in the 2012 playoffs, the Steelers showed young guns Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown are the clear successors to number 86.

Air Force to Provide iPads in Cockpits

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:00:02 -0600

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BY MADISON MACK

ANCHOR ZACH TOOMBS

The Air Force is looking to switch to paperless cockpits and in the process — buy iPads. Financial News Network reports.

“The services Air Mobility Command plans to issue a request for proposal to buy between 63 and 18,000 iPad 2s or similar devices to lighten the load of flight crews. “

The military wants to replace the heavy flight bags that pilots must bring aboard flights. Popular Science says they can weigh up to 70 pounds — filled with materials pilots are required to carry like aviation charts and regulations, especially because flight charts are updated once a month.

“It’s time-consuming to wade through it all, and the added weight could also be a problem, even on airplanes designed to carry enormously heavy cargo.”

But -— the outlet notes potential problems …

“Though iPads are certainly lighter and sleeker than a binder … imagine what could go wrong if the homescreen froze. Or if the pilots forgot to charge them …”

The Marines have already tested the tablet for use in 30 helicopters and fighter jets. Capt. Michael Christman gives PC Magazine a first-hand account of how pilots make use of the tablets.

“Essentially there is no room to carry all of the maps in the small cockpit of the Cobra. It can be a real inconvenience to pull them all out and reference them during flight … Instead of scanning sheets of paper, we type in a sector name or a four-digit grid coordinate and the iPad will center on the desired area...”

And a spokesperson for the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command tells Bloomberg, the military is trying to catch-up with commercial airlines.

“The airline industry is way ahead of us on this … Most, if not all of the major airliners are already switching to tablets.”

Obama’s 2013 Budget Invests in Infrastructure, Raises Taxes

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0600

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BY ZACH TOOMBS

President Obama won’t officially release his election-year budget until Monday. But his administration is providing a preview — one that shows cuts in military spending reinvested in domestic projects. CNN reports.

“The plan predicts a $901 billion deficit next year and calls for investments in infrastructure and education. It also includes cuts in military spending and $1.5 trillion in tax hikes.”

The plan puts special emphasis on a $476 billion transportation bill — largely financed by savings from troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan and the closing of several tax loopholes. The Los Angeles Times reports:

“The proposal would support plans to put 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 and double the share of electricity from clean energy sources by 2035. Elimination of 12 tax breaks to oil, gas and coal companies would raise $41 billion over the next decade, according to administration projections.”

Following up on his pledge last month to create a leaner, less expensive military, President Obama would propose almost half a trillion dollars in cuts to defense spending. Voice of America reports:

“The administration says savings from ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will yield about $850 billion in savings in the coming decade. The president says that money will be used to pay for new roads and railways, and to reduce the deficit.”

The projected $1.3 trillion deficit in 2012 and the $901 billion deficit in 2013 present higher-than-expected figures. And The Washington Post reports those numbers rely on the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the implementation of the so-called Buffett rule.

“Obama ... has called for changes to the tax code that would require households earning more than $1 million a year to pay at least 30 percent of their income in federal taxes, but senior administration officials said Friday that the blueprint will provide no additional details on how such a levy would be structured.”

As The Wall Street Journal reports, the proposed budget consists of many plans already put forward by Mr. Obama — plans the GOP has rejected.

“He’s saying, ‘I’m not changing my positions on this,’ and he knows that they’re not changing theirs any time soon. So, he’s putting out that — he’s putting out his plan and saying, ‘this is where I stand.’

POLITICO reports, before the budget comes before Congress, lawmakers will likely square off on one facet of the Obama plan — the payroll tax cut issue. That cut was extended two months ago, but will be up for debate again by the end of the month.

Sunday Soundbite Analysis 02/12/12

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0600

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BY VICTORIA CRAIG

The battle over contraception health care coverage has raged on for more than a week. But Jack Lew, President Obama’s chief of staff, took to the Sunday shows to defend the president’s view that all women have the right to all forms of preventative health care.

“So this will not cost insurance companies money, it will not put religious institutions in a place where they have to violate their principles because the total cost of care for a person is higher without than it is with.”

Continuing his Sunday appearances, Lew also defended the president’s efforts toward economic recovery. Saying, when the president took office, the country was losing jobs at a rate of 750,000 per month -- but last month, the nation gained 250,000 jobs.

"...That means that we had to take a lot of action in the recovery act, it means the economy was softer than anyone knew at the time, and we had less revenue coming in.”

On Monday, the president is set to send his budget for fiscal year 2013 to Congress for approval. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told CBS’ “Face the Nation,” although it’s unlikely to pass, he’s ready to put it up for a vote.

"[T]he only budget votes well have in the Senate, which refuses to follow the law and pass a budget of its own, would be a House passed budget and the president’s budget, so I intend to offer the president’s budget for him so he’ll have a chance to get a vote on it.”

Lew told Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace, the president’s 2013 budget isn’t much different from one of the president’s earlier plans. That one was presented to Congress and failed last December.

“This is a plan that's very similar. We put out a very detailed plan for $4 trillion, not $3 trillion in deficit reduction, because it's built on the $1 trillion of savings that's already been agreed to.”

But Lew didn’t escape his Sunday rounds without providing what will likely become a Republican talking point. On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he said now is not the time for budget-cutting austerity.

“We need to be on a path where over the next several years we bring our deficit under control. Right now, we have a recovery that's taking root, and if we were to put austerity measures right now, it would take the economy in the wrong way."

Though Lew’s comments on the economy took center stage Sunday, the GOP candidates had their opportunities to sound off about the last week on the campaign trail. Rick Santorum told CNN’s Candy Crowley there’s reason behind his disappointment with the CPAC straw polls -- but he’s not dwelling on it.

“For years Ron Paul has won those because he trucks in a lot of people, pays for their tickets, and they come in and vote and they leave. We didn't do that, we don't do that. I don't try to rig straw polls."

Adding to that, he said it looks like the country is moving to his side in the fight for the GOP nomination.

"I think we can do reasonably well in Arizona, and really make this a two-person race. We saw that in Maine, we ended up with 18 percent really having not appeared up there or done anything in Maine."

Former Alaska governor and 2008 VP candidate Sarah Palin got a chance to talk politics on Fox News Sunday. She reacted to the new HBO movie, “Game Change,” which documents her life as a GOP VP nominee. But her reaction wasn’t so rosy.

“Well I’m sorry millions of people are going to waste their time and I’m sure they have more productive and constructive things to do.”

Palin said the movie misrepresented her role in John McCain’s bid for the White House, but added although it bothered her, she’s thankful she has the right perspective on what really matters in life.

Did John Wayne Gacy Have An Accomplice?

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0600

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BY LAUREN ZIMA

Did Chicago serial killer John Wayne Gacy have an accomplice? Two lawyers have brought a new theory to Cook County police.

Gacy was executed back in 1994 -- convicted of 33 murders. He hid dozens of bodies of young men and boys in the crawl space of his home.

The idea of an accomplice for Gacy isn’t entirely new -- The Chicago Sun Times reports in 1978, when the killer was arrested, he said he had “associates”. But now, the Sun Times reports …

“Criminal defense attorneys Robert Stephenson and Steven Becker recently examined Gacy’s work and travel records and suspect he was out of town when victims Russell Nelson and Robert Gilroy disappeared in 1977. … Stephenson and Becker also provided … names of several possible accomplices of Gacy.”

WGN reports the lawyers have evidence that after Nelson disappeared, a man claiming to be his friend called Nelson’s family and demanded money. Nelson’s brothers went to Chicago, met the friend, and …

“The friend offered Russell’s brothers a job with John Wayne Gacy.”

The lawyers haven’t named the friend publicly but say he is still alive. They also point to a victim of Gacy’s who survived, and said there were two men present when he was being tortured. That man has since died. WBBM looks at an old interview with Gacy, where he again hints others were involved. The station also spoke with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.

“Buckovich is not one that I killed so I know nothing about it.”
“There’s a couple new little twists that we’ll look into.”

But the man who was Gacy’s defense attorney told WGN he didn’t think Gacy had accomplices. As a recent MSNBC report shows -- many questions remain unanswered, like whether Gacy was also killing people while traveling for work.

Even before being brought this new theory, Dart had still been investigating the Gacy case.

“At the time there were no computers or missing people databases, tools investigators have now used to possible link Gacy to 27 unsolved cases around the country.”

Several of Gacy’s victims remain unidentified. Investigators hope DNA evidence will help with that. The lawyers got involved in the case when a woman contacted them, believing her son was one of those victims.

Waffle House Hosts Special Menu for Valentine’s Day

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:00:05 -0600

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BY JUSTIN PROCHASKA

You're watching multisource global video news analysis from Newsy.

All you need is...waffles? Some Waffle House locations are offering a cheap dining alternative this Valentine’s Day. Georgia’s WALB reports.

“It will have tablecloths. It will have alcohol-free champagne. The lighting will be dimmer. It will be cloth napkins instead of paper. The atmosphere will be more of a five-star sit down and less fast-production Waffle House.”

Don’t expect to just eat biscuits and gravy and other breakfast fare. Waffle House is opening up a whole new menu for the night.

“Though waffles will still be available, they will also offers a special menu with things such as ribeye and eggs, pork chop dinners and T-bone dinners.”

But is it tacky to take your sweetheart to Waffle House on the most romantic night of the year?

A blogger from the Tulsa World says, no, offering up a few reasons why.

“1. Waffle House could be a reasonable alternative to more expensive places that many folks can't afford. 2. The novelty of it, for those who live a little off the grid.”

But, WXIN in Indianapolis says taking a date to Waffle House could put you in a sticky situation.

“Make sure you’ve got a ring on your finger if you’re going to try that stunt. Because if you don’t have some sort of contract, you might be in trouble.”

According to Time Magazine, most participating restaurants are in the South, mostly in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, but some Northern states are participating, too.

Newsy Now: February 12 (GMT 1330)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:39:02 -0600

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BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

Pop icon Whitney Houston was found dead in her Beverly Hills hotel room late Saturday afternoon. No cause of death has been released, but Houston's body wasmoved to the L.A. County Morgue this morning, where an autopsy will be performed, The Los Angeles Times reports.

CNN covered the social media outpouring this morning.

“...it links you over to an official Facebook, which is getting tens of thousands of posts and they keep increasing. ...Twitter had an incredible number of tweets come through. People weighing in on Whitney Houston here.”

In political news, Mitt Romney takes two. The GOP front-runner grabbed the non-binding caucus in Maine and the endorsement of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. Saturday. Former vice-presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin spoke to end the CPAC event, but didn’t endorse a candidate. Here’s Boston’s WCVB...

PALIN: “Our candidate must be someone who can instinctively turn right to Constitutional conservative principles.”

In Europe, the cold snap continues across parts of the continent. More snow makes it difficult for army police and firefighters to clear routes for delivering food and water, says euronews...

“Europe’s big freeze has deepened. Fresh snowfalls have swept across parts of the continent. The number of deaths has risen. ...‘No leader has come to ask us if we’re still alive,’ says this woman. ‘It’s only today they have sent emergency services to help us.’”

Get ready for Microsoft to potentially crash the tablet party. A writer for CNET says Microsoft could be poised to compete with the iPad.

The writer points to Microsoft Office 15 apps and competitive pricing with Android tablets and iPads as key items.

Stay with Newsy for more news analyses throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines, making you smarter, faster.

Dad Shoots Daughter’s Laptop Over Facebook Post

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0600

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BY EMILY SPAIN

A North Carolina father wasn’t pleased when his 15-year-old daughter wrote a long, angry Facebook post about her home life.
So to punish her for it, Tommy Jordan shot multiple bullets through the teen’s laptop.
And -- he recorded the whole thing.

In his daughter’s post she complains about having to do chores around the house. Jordan uploaded his response video on Youtube and posted it on his Facebook page. Here’s a clip of that video -- he titled it “Facebook Parenting: for the troubled teen”.

“I’m going to put a stop to it, and I’m going to put a stop to it right now... This right here in my .45”

The 8-minute video went viral, getting more than 13 million views and climbing in just three days.
So, were Jordan’s actions justified or just plain crazy? People spouted off on his Facebook page:

One person commented:
“You are one very twisted dude. I hope you get some help with your anger problem before you use that gun on someone, like your daughter.”

And another:
“Anyone who thinks you’re an awful parent is either a teen (no explanation needed there), or a parent who lets their kids walk all over them. I think your vid was effective and reasonable.”

A writer for Yahoo! also strikes down Jordan’s parenting skills, and even suggests therapy.

“I certainly hope this dad is not going to shoot up everything when his child does something wrong. You didn't sweep the floor; let me empty an entire clip into the broom. You didn't feed the dog; I'll just shoot him to prove a point. Using violence is not a form of safe, effective, consistent parenting.”

Others applaud Jordan’s tough love, saying sometimes it takes drastic measures to get kids to pay attention. Mashable reports, social media and the family is a constant conversation.

“The role of social media in family life has been debated since social networks began to catch on, but Jordan appears to be taking a proactive approach.”

Jordan wrote on his Facebook page that he had no idea his video would go viral and doesn’t plan on seeking more stardom. He even apologized for some of the things he said in the video and gives this piece of advice ...

"Once you put it out there, you can't take it back, so think carefully before you use the Internet to broadcast your thoughts and feelings.”

To read Jordan’s full response click here or to watch the complete video click here.

Transcript by Newsy.

Candidates Vie for 'True Conservative' Mantle at CPAC

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0600

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Image source: The New York Times

BY ZACH TOOMBS

It’s a virtual who’s who of conservative activists — from Mike Huckabee to Ann Coulter to Chuck Norris. And, on Friday, GOP presidential hopefuls made their best attempt to woo those potential supporters at CPAC — the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

Speaking on his record as Massachusetts’ governor, Mitt Romney grabbed early unwanted headlines with this ad-libbed comment.

“I was a severely conservative Republican governor.”

Rachel Maddow’s mocking reaction mirrored that of many others:

“Mitt Romney: Not just conservative, but severely conservative.”

And from the other end of the spectrum, Rush Limbaugh was left puzzled as well...

“I have never heard anybody say ‘I’m severely conservative.’ ”

Nitpicky? POLITICO says “maybe,” but:

“...by going off-script to use an awkward modifier that no movement conservative would ever affix to themselves, he made clear why, despite vast advantages in money and organization, he’s still struggling to win the trust of a party base needed to secure the GOP presidential nomination. He’s just not a natural fit.”

And while Romney touted his conservative highlight reel, Rick Santorum made the case for hardline right-wing politics — an ideology he says is better fit to beat President Obama in November than John McCain’s relatively middle-of-the-road approach in 2008.

“Well, I think we have learned our lesson. And the lesson we’ve learned is that we will no longer abandon and apologize for the policies and principles that have made this country great for a hollow victory in November.”

Friday was a good day for Santorum: for the first time, a national poll from Public Policy Polling ranked him ahead of Romney. And his speech at CPAC drew nearly unanimous praise in conservative circles.

The Washington Times writes:

“Santorum's address was not a red vs. blue cheerleader pep rally meant to make Republicans feel good about their brand. Instead it was an adult conversation with conservatives about the future of their movement.”

Predictably, it was Gingrich who provided the longest — and, for many, the most volatile — speech among the candidates. The former House Speaker not only took aim at Democrats but he also called out GOP insiders.

“We need to teach the Republican establishment a lesson. We are determined to rebuild America, not to manage its decay."

Gingrich also used the occasion to roll out his new Conservative Dream Team of supporters. A page dedicated to the team appeared on his website Friday, along with this:

A photo of Gingrich and company that The Hill said looked like “an ad for a law firm” — with Rick Perry, Herman Cain and even the Texas Ranger himself filling in as partners.

Another GOP presidential hopeful, Ron Paul, skipped CPAC this year. Instead, the candidate focused on some last-minute campaigning in Maine.

Newsy Now: February 11 (GMT 1400)

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:27:37 -0600

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BY NATHAN BYRNE

This is Newsy Now and here are your headlines.

After a week of government attacks on the uprising in Homs, Syria, activists fear for their lives. CNN reports...

“...we have heard from anti-government activists in Syria, who say that if they don’t receive help, the violent government crackdown will end up killing millions.”

In an address to crowds celebrating the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 revolution, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised to make a major nuclear announcement in the next few days.

Al Jazeera reports the Iranian president spoke in front of a full-scale model of the U.S. drone officials claim to have downed in December. He said, quote...

“In the coming days the world will witness Iran's announcement of its very important and very major nuclear achievements.”

After being painted as a moderate by his fellow Republican opponents and losing recent primaries, Mitt Romney gave what MSNBC calls a “fiery speech” to conservative voters...

“I know that this president will never get it, but we conservatives aren’t just proud to cling to our guns and our religion, we are also proud to cling to our Constitution.”

In sports, the NBA’s surprise phenom continued his miracle-working by helping hold off the mighty Los Angeles Lakers last night. The New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin scored a career-high 38 points in the win. He downplayed the hype in an interview with ESPN...

“This has been a wild week for me and the team. I mean, obviously, you hope for the best and prepare for the worst and I’m just thankful that it’s turning out the way it is.”

Stay with Newsy for more news analyses throughout the day. For Newsy Now, I’m Nathan Byrne, highlighting the top headlines, making you smarter, faster.

Police Find 'Incestuous' Images on Josh Powell's Computer

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:00:02 -0600

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(Image Source: KOMO News)

BY ALLIE SPILLYARDS

He was a person of interest in the 2009 disappearance of his wife — he’s accused of murdering his two young son s— and now — he’s making headlines again.

Authorities have revealed incestuous images found on Josh Powell’s computer led to a doctor-ordered psychosexual evaluation... one the media is suggesting was a motivating factor in last week’s murder suicide. (VIDEO SOURCE: MSNBC)

LESTER HOLT: “Those computer images we’re talking about apparently led to this order for Josh to undergo a psychosexual evaluation, and that would’ve included a lie detector test.”
POWELL BOYS’ GRANDFATHER: “I believe he understood there was no way he was going to be able to bluff his way through this.” (VIDEO SOURCE: NBC)

According to ABC’s Colleen Curry and Chris Cuomo, this wasn’t a recent discovery.

“The computer was taken by police following the 2009 disappearance of... Susan Cox, but the images were brought up for the first time publicly in a court custody hearing last week."

Now many in the media are speculating — would this story have ended differently if the images had been revealed sooner? CBS reports...

“Attorney Steve Downing said if he [had] seen them, he might have asked the court to change the terms of Powell's supervised visitation with the boys.”

Powell was allowed bi-weekly supervised visits with his sons even though a judge had denied him custody during a February first hearing. New details have emerged about the final visit. In an exclusive interview, ABC learned...

The social worker responsible for dropping the boys off for Powell’s scheduled visitation says Powell told the boy’s he had a “surprise” for them just minutes before the explosion.

And while the investigation continues, the Examiner reports...

“Washington State Senator Pam Roach (R) said it was ‘outrageous’ that the court granted Josh Powell visitation with his sons and is asking to see what West Valley City Police shared with the Washington agency in charge of child welfare.”

Police are still investigating the disappearance of Susan Powell.

Pelosi's 'Stop Colbert' Spoof Ad Goes Viral

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0600

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BY ALLIE SPILLYARDS

“Stop Colbert!” —That’s the cry that rang out from House minority leader Nancy Pelosi’s office Thursday as she tried her hat at comedy in support of proposed legislation targeting campaign contributions.

“Since the day he started his Super PAC, taking secret money from special interests, he’s been out of control.” (Video Source: YouTube)

CNN’s Dana Bash has the details, calling the stunt against Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert just the latest charade in the “Alice in Wonderland” state of politics.

“The must-watch-it-to-believe it video features the House Democratic leader narrating under black and white pictures of Colbert, saying he ‘used to be my friend. I even signed the poor baby's cast....’ The kicker: with the now infamous picture of Pelosi on the couch with Newt Gingrich, Pelosi says Colbert ‘even used his super PAC to attack my friend Newt Gingrich.’”

Pelosi’s YouTube appearance was a call for Congress to pass the DISCLOSE Act — legislation born out of the Citizen’s United decision that allowed unlimited amounts of money to be given to independent groups supporting political candidates. Although it’s a parody, a writer for the Huffington Post claims Pelosi’s bottom line is the real deal.

“While Pelosi's pitch is satirical — Colbert's super PAC shenanigans are a tongue-in-cheek critique of the negative effects of the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling and Pelosi hasn't done much to reinforce her claim that Gingrich is, in fact, her ‘friend’ -- she is serious about the legislation.”

All jokes aside, the Washington Post thinks the legislation is a little off track. The writers say super PACs like Colbert’s are already legally required to disclose donors.

“...Pelosi’s charge that super PACs take ‘secret money from special interests’ is somewhat off the mark... The main target of the proposed disclosure requirements included in the original DISCLOSE Act were nonprofits, trade groups and other organizations that are not required to disclose donors ... because politics is not their ‘primary purpose.’”

And although many are waiting for Colbert’s rebuttal, Comedy Central’s Indecision Forever blog already has a response to Pelosi.

“I'm not so sure former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wants to be playing with this kind of fire. Or this kind of magic lightning or whatever. Publicly coming out against super PACs has got to be kind of dangerous. But to come out against Stephen Colbert's super PAC? That's got to be like an anti-Colbert Bump times a zillion, right?”

The House passed the original legislation in June 2010, but it failed one month later in the Senate.