AMD Radeon HD 7950

For a trip to the tropics, what better time than winter? In December AMD unveiled the first of its new "Southern Islands" video cards, the Radeon HD 7970 (part of the new "Tahiti" high-end enthusiast family), promising to release it at the start of the year. Now AMD is presenting its follow-up model, the Radeon HD 7950, which ports the earlier card's innovations to a piece of hardware that will still appeal to hard-core gamers, but won't be quite as expensive ($449 list versus $549 list). Like its predecessor, the 7950 takes on competing Nvidia cards such as the GeForce GTX 570 and GeForce GTX 580 with aplomb. Diehards will want to spring for the extra speed the 7970 produces, but few other gaming-oriented builders will feel cheated by the power the 7950 marshals.

With the 7950 you'll find all the same advancements and benefits present on the 7970. Chief among these is the new Graphics Core Next architecture, which improves each compute unit's ability to simultaneously execute instructions from multiple kernels, and delivers an increased number of instructions per clock cycle per square millimeter of GPU space. An updated vapor chamber design and a wider fan with new blades that are capable of wicking away more heat have also been implemented on the card.

PowerTune technology offers intelligent monitoring of energy usage on an application-by-application basis when the proper electrical and thermal headroom are available; and ZeroCore Power Technology shuts down the GPU and turns off the fan during long idle states, for a reduction in idle power usage of up to 95 percent. AMD says this delivers additional benefits in CrossFireX configurations: Secondary GPUs are always in the ZeroCore Power state when they're not in use, with the primary GPU joining them during long idle periods, thus saving even more power in electricity-hungry systems.

There are also the traditional ways in which the 7950 lines up with the 7970. This card, like the earlier one, measures 11 inches long and requires two additional six-pin cables from your power supply. It has four display outputs: DVI, HDMI, and two Mini DisplayPort. As with every video card in this class, the 7950's use of a large heat sink and fan assembly means it will block an adjacent expansion slot. All 7900 series cards support the newest update to the PCI Express (PCIe) bus interface, PCIe? 3.0. DirectX 11 (and, when Windows 8 comes around, DX11.1) is supported, as well; so is AMD's proprietary Eyefinity multimonitor technology, which recent Catalyst driver updates let use new monitor configurations and multiple larger monitors (running at resolutions like 1,920 by 1,200 and 2,560 by 1,600), enhanced with flexible bezel compensation. With the latter, you can even drive three stereoscopic 3D displays at once if they support DisplayPort 3D, and the card can even route multiple independent audio streams.

Major differences between the 7950 and 7970 are few, and located mostly in the hardware areas you'd expect. Though the 7950 is based on the same 28nm production process as the 7970 and utilizes the same number of transistors (4.31 billion), it is in most other ways a moderately scaled-down version of its predecessor. Its base engine clock is 800MHz rather than 925MHz (though there's head room for adventurous manufacturers to overclock it more); it contains 1,792 stream processors to the 7970?s 2,048, for 2.87 teraflops of compute power versus 3.79 teraflops; and it packs 112 texture units rather than 128. It has the same number of ROPs (32) and uses the same amount and type of RAM (3GB GDDR5) over the same size memory path (384 bits), but runs at a slower memory clock (1,250MHz versus 1,375MHz), with a data rate of 5Gbps as opposed to 5.5Gbps and memory bandwidth of 240GBps as opposed to 264GBps. Its TDP is rated at 200 watts, as compared with the 7970?s 250 watts.

Performance on the 7950 lands pretty much where you'd expect given its specs and its positioning this generation: just behind the 7970, but in most cases ahead of comparable Nvidia offerings. On Futuremark 3DMark 11 using the Extreme preset, for example, the 7950 earned a score of 2,293, compared with 2,734 for the 7970, 2,115 for the GTX 580, and 1,844 for the GTX 570. Alien vs. Predator saw actually playable frame rates of 31.4 frames per second (fps) at 2,560 by 1,600, compared with the 34.7fps of the 7970, the 27.5fps of the GTX 580, and the 22.8fps of the GTX 570. (Results at 1,920 by 1,200 were naturally better still, but maintained the same basic pattern.)

As should perhaps be expected, the 7950 stumbled a bit on Nvidia-oriented games: Its 115fps on HAWX 2 was behind both the 118fps of the GTX 570 and the 140fps of the GTX 580; and though the 7950 just scraped by the GTX 570 on Lost Planet 2 (45.7fps versus 45.2 at 1,920 by 1,200 and 34.2fps versus 32.2fps at 2,560 by 1,600), it didn't surpass the GTX 580 in either case (51.7fps and 36.9fps at the respective resolutions). On the more platform-agnostic Heaven Benchmark, however, the 7950 was a decisive winner over both the GTX 570 and the GTX 580 (31.7fps versus 23.6fps and 38.1fps at 1,920 by 1,200, and 21.5fps versus 10.4fps and 18.4fps at 2,560 by 1,600).

One area in which the 7950 skunks its competition is power usage; AMD's technological improvements in this area remain as impressive as they were with the 7970. We used an Extech Datalogger to measure full-system power usage on our test PC, and under full load (running 3DMark 11 with the resolution and all of the detail settings maxed out), the computer pulled 210.2 watts?a major improvement over the 246.5 watts of the GTX 570 and the 264.6 of the GTX 580, and even the 249.8 watts of the last-generation top-of-the-line AMD Radeon HD 6970 (which the 7950 otherwise trounced in every test).

The AMD Radeon HD 7950 isn't going to help you if you want the absolute fastest single-GPU video card out there?for now, that remains our Editors' Choice, the 7970. But if you aren't inclined to shell out the extra $100 for the slightly improved frame rates you'll get (something we can understand), the 7950 is a top-notch choice for the serious PC gamer. We'd declare it the next best thing (and a longer-lasting alternative) to a vacation to the real Tahiti, but who are we kidding? Even a video card as excellent as this one can only do so much.

More Graphics Card reviews:
??? AMD Radeon HD 7950
??? AMD Radeon HD 7970
??? Nvidia Quadro 4000
??? Nvidia Quadro 5000
??? Nvidia Quadro 2000
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House Republicans want $260 billion for infrastructure (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? House Republicans will propose legislation on Tuesday calling for $260 billion in spending on transportation infrastructure for up to five years, an election-year proposal touted as a job creator in a tough economy.

Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica was due to formally introduce the measure and unveil details for funding road, bridge, and rail improvements at a news conference, his office said.

Additional elements could be tacked on by other committees in coming days, including a plan to authorize the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline despite the refusal of President Barack Obama to advance the project.

While both Republicans and Democrats agree that Congress must lay out a new long-term blueprint for infrastructure improvements, finding the political common ground to do so in legislation has been difficult in a charged partisan climate and with elections looming in November.

Proponents say the highway bill would create tens of thousands of jobs in the hard-hit construction industry at time when unemployment is stubbornly high.

Transportation and engineering experts have said that the United States is woefully behind on infrastructure spending, especially on bridge repair.

States, which rely on federal reimbursements, have been clamoring for direction from Washington on how to plan and pay for big-ticket projects.

To meet their needs, states and local governments have relied on a string of temporary spending measures from Congress since the last long-term federal funding plan expired in September 2009.

The current temporary spending extension expires on March 31.

Mica's proposal is far less ambitious than infrastructure measures floated by Obama that went no where in Congress.

In his State of the Union address last week, Obama proposed that a portion of money saved from war spending be used for infrastructure development. Democrats unsuccessfully pushed a similar idea last fall as part of deficit reduction.

Mica's plan is likely to be adopted on a party line vote in the Republican-led House. A smaller, two-year bipartisan effort is making its way through the Democratic-controlled Senate.

To pay for Mica's proposal, the government would continue to tap a trust account funded by gasoline tax receipts. The Highway Trust Fund has shrunk in recent years due to more fuel efficient cars and trucks on the road and less driving overall by motorists in a rough economy.

A Congressional Budget Office report on Tuesday is expected to detail new erosion of the account, congressional officials said.

There are no plans by Republicans or Democrats to increase gas taxes to fortify the trust fund and House committees other than Mica's are expected to address the shortfall.

Republican leaders said in November they would propose lifting a U.S. ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling and use related royalties to at least help finance any shortfall in infrastructure spending.

The Obama administration has proposed a modest expansion of offshore drilling. But lifting the drilling ban stands virtually no chance of passage in the Senate.

Mica's plan is also expected to cut government "red tape" in the project approval process and encourage private-sector participation in financing and building infrastructure. The plan also seeks to allow heavier trucks on U.S. highways.

So far, the U.S. government has opened few doors to private investors who mainly seek new tolling or other revenue-raising opportunities to generate a return.

(Reporting By John Crawley; Editing by Eric Beech)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/ts_nm/us_usa_congress_infrastructure

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T-Mobile UK launches 'truly unlimited' Full Monty contract, wants to give you everything

While beans were vaguely spilled ahead of its official launch, T-Mobile UK today unveiled its latest attempt to differentiate itself from the competitive world of British carriers with a new no-holds-barred tariff. From the network that previously nixed its fair use policy around this time last year, the Full Monty offers up truly -- yes, truly; we checked -- unlimited data alongside unlimited cross network calls and text messages. While the entry-level £36 contract limits calls to 2,000 per month, unlimited calling starts at £41 per month, reaching the dizzying heights of £61 if you're shopping for the latest iPhone. New phones will similarly be absorbed into what is now T-Mob's premier contract. It'll join mobile carrier Three, which was previously the only other major operator to offer unlimited data. Alongside the above package, which includes tethering, T-Mobile phones will also nab access to BT Openzone, the UK's largest WiFi hotspot network.

When the Fully Monty launches on February 1st, it'll be accompanied by a new Android and iOS app that adds one-click connectivity to those WiFi networks. The deal isn't available SIM-only, although T-Mobile UK's Head of Propositions, Ben Fritsch, told us that the new deal is pitched at users looking to take the smartphone plunge. Its existing collection of tariffs will also see a similar refresh -- but there's no details on those just yet. American readers can gaze with envy at the full release below.

Update: Electricpig reports that there may be traffic control in effect if users (somehow) hit above 80GB.

Gallery: T-Mobile launches Full Monty tariff

Continue reading T-Mobile UK launches 'truly unlimited' Full Monty contract, wants to give you everything

T-Mobile UK launches 'truly unlimited' Full Monty contract, wants to give you everything originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cause sought for deadly Fla. highway pileup

Firemen hose down a commercial carrier truck on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, Fla., after it was involved in a multi-vehicle wreck which killed at least 9 people in the early hours of Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Authorities were still trying to determine what caused the pileup on the highway, which had been closed for a time because of the mixture of fog and heavy smoke from a brush fire. At least five cars and six tractor-trailers were involved, and some burst into flame. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Firemen hose down a commercial carrier truck on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, Fla., after it was involved in a multi-vehicle wreck which killed at least 9 people in the early hours of Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Authorities were still trying to determine what caused the pileup on the highway, which had been closed for a time because of the mixture of fog and heavy smoke from a brush fire. At least five cars and six tractor-trailers were involved, and some burst into flame. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

A fireman sprays the interior of a burned vehicle that was involved in a multi-vehicle accident that killed at least nine people, on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Authorities were still trying to determine what caused the pileup on the highway, which had been closed for a time because of the mixture of fog and heavy smoke from a brush fire. At least five cars and six tractor-trailers were involved, and some burst into flame. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Debris and wreckage lie along the highway after a multi-vehicle accident that killed at least nine people, on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Authorities were still trying to determine what caused the pileup on the highway, which had been closed for a time because of the mixture of fog and heavy smoke from a brush fire. At least five cars and six tractor-trailers were involved, and some burst into flame. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Aerial view of Interstate 75 in Gainesville, Fla. where according to Florida Highway Patrol at least 9 people have died as a result of multiple crashes Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 involving 4 commercial vehicles and at least 10 passenger vehicles. The majority of the accidents happened in an area adjacent to where a brush fire was burning and producing heavy smoke. (AP Photo/The Gainesville Sun, Rob C. Witzel)

Officials work at the scene of a multi-vehicle wreck on Interstate 75 at Paynes Prairie on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, south of Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/The Gainesville Sun, Matt Stamey)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? Authorities in Florida were trying to determine Monday what caused the horrific pileup on Interstate 75 south of Gainesville, where a long line of cars and trucks collided one after another on a dark highway so shrouded in haze and smoke that drivers were blinded.

At least 10 were killed in the early Sunday pileup and another 18 were hospitalized.

All lanes of I-75 reopened late Sunday, but authorities closed the highway again early Monday due to poor visibility caused by fog and smoke.

Steven R. Camps and some friends were driving home hours before dawn Sunday when they were suddenly drawn into the massive wreck.

"You could hear cars hitting each other. People were crying. People were screaming. It was crazy," the Gainesville man said hours later. "If I could give you an idea of what it looked like, I would say it looked like the end of the world."

The interstate had been closed for a time before the accidents because of a mixture of fog and heavy smoke from a brush fire that may have been intentionally set. The decision to reopen it early Sunday will certainly be a focus of investigators, as will the question of how the fire may have started.

The pileups happened around 3:45 a.m. Sunday on both sides of I-75. When rescuers first arrived, they could only listen for screams and moans because the poor visibility made it difficult to find victims in wreckage that was strewn for nearly a mile.

At least a dozen cars and six tractor-trailers were involved, and some burst into flames.

Hours later, twisted, burned-out vehicles were scattered across the pavement, with smoke still rising from the wreckage. Cars appeared to have smashed into the big rigs and, in one case, a motor home. Some cars were crushed beneath the heavier trucks.

Reporters who were allowed to view the site saw bodies still inside a burned-out Grand Prix. One tractor-trailer was burned down to its skeleton, charred pages of books and magazines in its cargo area. And the tires of every vehicle had burned away, leaving only steel belts.

Before Camps hit the fog bank, a friend who was driving ahead of him in a separate vehicle called to warn of the road conditions. The friend said he had just seen an accident and urged Camps to be careful as he approached the Paynes Prairie area, just south of Gainesville.

A short time later, Camps said, traffic stopped along the northbound lanes.

"You couldn't see anything. People were pulling off the road," he said.

Camps said he began talking about the road conditions to a man in the car stopped next to him when another vehicle hit that man's car.

The man's vehicle was crushed under a semi-truck stopped in front of them. Camps said his car was hit twice, but he and another friend were able to jump out. They took cover in the grass on the shoulder of the road.

All around them, cars and trucks were on fire, and they could hear explosions as the vehicles burned.

"It was happening on both sides of the road, so there was nowhere to go. It blew my mind," he said, explaining that the scene "looked like someone was picking up cars and throwing them."

Authorities had not released the names of victims Sunday evening, but said one passenger car had four fatalities. A "tour bus-like" vehicle also was involved in the pileup, police said.

All six lanes of the interstate were closed most of Sunday as investigators surveyed the site and firefighters put out the last of the flames. Some traffic was being diverted onto U.S. 301 and State Road 27, Lt. Patrick Riordan, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, said. The northbound lanes were reopened at about 5:30 p.m.

At some point before the pileup, police briefly closed the highway because of fog and smoke. The road was reopened when visibility improved, police said. Riordan said he was not sure how much time passed between the reopening of the highway and the first crash.

A spokeswoman for the Florida Forest Service, Ludie Bond, said the fire began Saturday, and investigators were trying to determine whether the blaze had been intentionally set. She said there were no controlled burns in the area and no lightning.

Bond also said the fire had burned 62 acres and was contained but still burning Sunday. A similar fire nearby has been burning since mid-November because the dried vegetation is so thick and deep. No homes are threatened.

Four years ago, heavy fog and smoke were blamed for another serious crash.

In January 2008, four people were killed and 38 injured in a series of similar crashes on Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa, about 125 miles south of Sunday's crash. More than 70 vehicles were involved in those crashes, including one pileup that involved 40 vehicles.

___

Associated Press writer Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-30-Deadly%20Interstate%20Crash/id-cd4a908ef1cd47d9a6a1899924366223

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LeBron James Jumps Over Hapless Defender For Dunk; John Lucas III Trends on Twitter

Poor John Lucas III.

LeBron James' drunk over him was so insane in the first quarter of the Miami Heat's win over the Chicago Bulls Sunday that the defender became an instant trend in the Twitter-verse. He may end up on a poster someday, too ... though not in a good way.

In one of the most ridiculous alley-oops you will ever see - no small feat for the human highlight reel - Dwyane Wade threw a lob to LeBron, who literally JUMPED OVER LUCAS, throwing it down with relative ease no less.

Watch the gravity (and comprehension) defying clip below:

LeBron Jumps, Dunks Over John Lucas III

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/lebron-james-jumps-over-dunks-on-hapless-defender-john-lucas-iii/

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Iran "very optimistic" on nuclear experts' visit (Reuters)

TEHRAN (Reuters) ? Iran said on Sunday it was very optimistic over a visit by U.N. nuclear inspectors aimed at shedding light on suspected military aspects of Tehran's atomic work but suggested Tehran would curb cooperation if the experts became a "tool" for outside powers.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team began a three-day visit on Sunday to try to advance efforts to resolve a row about nuclear work which Iran says is for making electricity but the West suspects is aimed at seeking a nuclear weapon.

Tensions with the West rose this month when Washington and the European Union imposed the toughest sanctions yet in a drive to force Tehran to provide more information on its nuclear program. The measures take direct aim at the ability of OPEC's second biggest oil exporter to sell its crude.

The Mehr news agency quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as saying during a trip to Ethiopia: "We are very optimistic about the outcome of the IAEA delegation's visit to Iran ... Their questions will be answered during this visit,"

"We have nothing to hide and Iran has no clandestine (nuclear) activities."

Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, warned the IAEA team to carry out a "logical, professional and technical" job or suffer the consequences.

"This visit is a test for the IAEA. The route for further cooperation will be open if the team carries out its duties professionally," said , state media reported.

"Otherwise, if the IAEA turns into a tool (for major powers to pressure Iran), then Iran will have no choice but to consider a new framework in its ties with the agency."

Iran's parliament in the past has approved bills to oblige the government to review its level of cooperation with the IAEA. However, Iran's top officials have always underlined the importance of preserving ties with the watchdog body.

Before departing from Vienna, IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts hoped for the Islamic state to tackle the watchdog's concerns "regarding the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program".

PARLIAMENT DEBATE

Less than one week after the EU's 27 member states agreed to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1, Iranian lawmakers were due to debate a bill later on Sunday that would cut off oil supplies to the EU in a matter of days.

Some parliamentarians told Reuters that the debate might be postponed to Wednesday.

By turning the sanctions back on the EU, lawmakers hope to deny the bloc a six-month window it had planned to give those of its members most dependent on Iranian oil - including some of the most economically fragile in southern Europe - to adapt.

The head of the state-run National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said late on Saturday that the export embargo would hit European refiners, such as Italy's Eni, that are owed oil from Iran as part of long-standing buy-back contracts under which they take payment for past oilfield projects in crude.

"The decision must be made at high echelons of power and we at the NIOC will act as the executioner of the policies of the government," Ahmad Qalebani told the ISNA news agency.

"The European companies will have to abide by the provisions of the buyback contracts," he said. "If they act otherwise, they will be the parties to incur the relevant losses and will subject the repatriation of their capital to problems."

"Generally, the parties to incur damage from the EU's recent decision will be European companies with pending contracts with Iran."

Italy's Eni is owed $1.4-1.5 billion in oil for contracts it executed in Iran in 2000 and 2001 and has been assured by EU policymakers its buyback contracts will not be part of the European embargo, but the prospect of Iran acting first may put that into doubt.

Eni declined to comment on Saturday.

The EU accounted for 25 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the third quarter of 2011. However, analysts say the global oil market will not be overly disrupted if parliament votes for the bill that would turn off the oil tap for Europe.

"The Saudis have made it clear that they'll step in to fill the void," said Robert Smith, a consultant at Facts Global Energy.

"It would not pose any serious threat to oil market stability. Meanwhile Asians, predominantly the Chinese and Indians, stand to benefit from more Iranian crude flowing east and at potential discounts."

Potentially more disruptive to the world oil market and global security is the risk of Iran's standoff with the West escalating into military conflict.

Iran has repeatedly said it could close the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane if sanctions succeed in preventing it from exporting crude, a move Washington said it would not tolerate.

"CONSTRUCTIVE SPIRIT"

The IAEA's visit may be an opportunity to defuse some of the tension. Director General Yukiya Amano has called on Iran to show a "constructive spirit" and Tehran has said it is willing to discuss "any issues" of interest to the U.N. agency, including the military-linked concerns.

But Western diplomats, who have often accused Iran of using such offers of dialogue as a stalling tactic while it presses ahead with its nuclear program, say they doubt Tehran will show the kind of concrete cooperation the IAEA wants.

They say Iran may offer limited concessions and transparency to try to ease intensifying international pressure, but that this is unlikely to amount to the full cooperation required.

The outcome could determine whether Iran will face further international isolation or whether there are prospects for resuming wider talks between Tehran and the major powers on the nuclear dispute.

Salehi said Iran "soon" would write a letter to the E.U.'s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to discuss "a date and venue" for fresh nuclear talks.

"Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in this letter, which may be sent in the coming days, also may mention other issues as well," Salehi said, without elaborating.

The last round of talks in January 2011 between Jalili and Ashton, who represents major powers, failed over Iran's refusal to halt its sensitive nuclear work.

"The talks will be successful as the other party seems interested in finding a way out of this deadlock," Salehi said.

(Additional reporting by Hashem Kalantari, Robin Pomeroy and Hossein Jaseb in Tehran, Svetlana Kovalyova in Milan and Fredrik Dahl in Vienna; Writing by Parisa Hafezi and Robin Pomeroy; Editing by William Maclean)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/wl_nm/us_iran

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Sky Anytime+ achieves impossible, will carry iPlayer (and ITV Player)

Sky's burgeoning Anytime+ VOD platform is getting a hefty boost today. It was previously open only to customers who also hitched to Sky Broadband, but that restriction's being gently relaxed: opening it up to all five million Sky+HD box owners. It's also somehow sweet-talked deadly rivals BBC and ITV into letting their offerings onto the platform -- with ITV Player arriving tomorrow and iPlayer slated for arrival later in the year. Head past the break for the official line while we sit here and grumble about the company buying up all the UK rights to Mad Men and charging a kings ransom.

Continue reading Sky Anytime+ achieves impossible, will carry iPlayer (and ITV Player)

Sky Anytime+ achieves impossible, will carry iPlayer (and ITV Player) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/sky-anytime-achieves-impossible-will-carry-iplayer-and-itv-pl/

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Belichick, Brady in cheerful mood at arrival

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick answers questions during a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick answers questions during a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick answers questions during a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick walks off the plane as the team arrives at the Indianapolis International Airport for NFL footbal's Super Bowl XLVI Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Even the usually dour Bill Belichick was joking around as the New England Patriots arrived in Indianapolis for Super Bowl week.

At his opening news conference Sunday night, Belichick was asked if he expected some Hoosier hospitality.

"I never had too much hospitality here," he said, noting that the Patriots aren't exactly popular in Colts country, "until I went for it on fourth-and-2."

His gamble on that play at the New England 28 with 2:08 to go failed and led to the Colts' winning field goal in a 2009 regular-season game.

"Fans greeted us lots more and were awfully friendly" after that, he added.

All-Pro receiver Wes Welker wasn't familiar with the term when asked the same question.

"What is Hoosier hospitality? What does that consist of?" Welker asked to laughs before getting a full explanation from a local television reporter. "I think it will be a little strange practicing at the Colts' facility. I don't know how many people like that, but we'll be calm and polite and not try to rub it in, so I hope everyone is appreciative of it."

Belichick, dressed in a suit ? no hoodie for the coach this time ? also said All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski is "day to day" with a high left ankle sprain for next Sunday's NFL title game against the New York Giants. Gronkowski has been wearing a walking boot since being injured in the AFC title game.

"You've got to prepare for every one of these situations that come up," quarterback Tom Brady said of the possibility Gronkowski will be limited for sidelined. "You always have to have some contingency plans."

Brady knows the Giants will bring lots of heat with their pass rush, but for now he was more comforted by not having to face a local rival who frequently has put Brady on his back.

"I see Dwight Freeney's picture up there (on the stadium)," Brady said. "When you come to Indy and don't have to play him, we are very fortunate for that."

The Patriots drew about 25,000 fans to Gillette Stadium earlier Sunday for what Brady termed "a pep rally." Team owner Robert Kraft, who has had an emotional year ? his wife passed away last July and he was instrumental in resolving the NFL's lockout of the players ? was thrilled by the turnout.

"We had 25,000 people come to our stadium today to send the team off," Kraft said. "At the stadium today it was so special, the time we are in now, to have 25,000 of our fans cheer our team is a very emotional experience."

This is Kraft's sixth Super Bowl as owner, and he vividly recalled the days when the team was lucky to draw 25,000 for a game.

"I sat with those crowds. I sat in the stands for 34 years and we had one home playoff game, in 1978, which we lost to Houston," Kraft said. "And last Sunday, we were privileged to host our 15th playoff game."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-29-FBN-Patriots-Arrive/id-4a8d926e144c4663ae4a231a92b1b1c5

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Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana celebrate at Sundance (AP)

PARK CITY, Utah ? Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana came to the Sundance Film Festival to promote their closing-night film, "The Words."

The two actors play a married couple in the movie, which follows an aspiring writer who gains fame when he finds an old manuscript and passes it off as his own.

The pair avoided any appearance of their reported off-screen romance by staying apart from one another while posing for photos and giving interviews to support the film. Saldana did affectionately touch Cooper as they passed in a hallway, though.

Both had been to Sundance before, where snow fell throughout the festival and the weather dipped into the teens. Still, Saldana maintained her fashionista edge.

"I did bring warm stuff but I also brought fashion-y stuff. Come on. You've got to pay the price, even if it's too cold," she said.

The 33-year-old actress wore green suede shoes with spiked stiletto heels despite the slushy conditions.

"They're kind of fabulous. They're also lethal. So I have to be really careful, and somebody has to be careful not to piss me off," she said with a smile. "Yeah right. I'm just trying not to fall. It's like `Please don't fall. Please don't fall,' if I'm walking."

Cooper's first time at the festival was 12 years earlier with the eventual cult comedy hit "Wet Hot American Summer."

"I wasn't even able to get into the screening," he recalled.

Saldana said playing Cooper's wife in "The Words" made her think about how she approaches relationships and the concept of unconditional love.

"Like how unconditional am I when I'm in love. Do you bypass certain things? Would I be able to be with a man ? or with someone ? that feels incomplete, doesn't matter what we do?" she said. "If we change this, if we get married, if we have a baby ? just someone that feels incomplete. Would I be able to deal with that for so many years and accept them as who they are and go, `Come as you are. This is who I fell in love with and I don't want to change you?'

"I'm not like that, which is why I wanted to play her, because it was a challenge, you know. Look at me, I totally said I'm not unconditional at all. So awful."

Cooper's part as author-plagiarist Rory Jansen is his second writerly role after playing a novelist in last year's "Limitless." But that's just coincidence, he said. Despite having a degree in English, the 37-year-old actor says he typically only writes in his "girlnal."

"Journal, sorry," he said. "That's a `Wet Hot' reference. Paul Rudd says that."

Saldana, meanwhile, is in the midst of shooting the "Star Trek" sequel in Los Angeles with director J.J. Abrams and much of the original's cast.

"It's wonderful because I've been dying to work with the cast again, to work with JJ," she said. "I love him so much. He's such an amazing human being and such an amazing storyteller and a great director, so what more can I ask for? I start the year and I'm literally going back to a very familiar environment and being a part of a great story."

"The Words," which also stars Dennis Quaid, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes and Olivia Wilde, premiered Friday. It was acquired early in the festival by CBS Films, which plans to release it theatrically in the fall. Sundance continues through Sunday.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this report.

___

Online:

www.sundance.org/festival

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_en_mo/us_film_sundance_cooper_saldana

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Notebak Anti-Theft

When your laptop goes missing, your first reaction may be blind, unreasoning panic. If the laptop has Notebak Anti-Theft ($29.95/year direct) installed, though, you can relax a bit. That is, as long as you've configured the product correctly for maximum security. Notebak offers a wide variety of features to help you protect and recover your laptop and the data that it holds.

During installation you define a password for connecting with the Notebak Web portal, along with a separate secret key which can't be the same as the password. To make remote requests of the client installed on the laptop you'll need to enter this secret key.

To open the local Notebak client on the laptop itself you can either double-click its icon or press Shift+Ctrl+V. If desired you can set Notebak for stealth mode, hiding the icon. In that case, the special keystroke becomes the only way to open Notebak.

Lock and Alarm
Any time you have to leave your laptop unattended, you really should lock Windows, so nobody can even look at what you've been doing. Notebak can't do that for you, since it can't tell that you've walked away. However, it can lock automatically if a thief closes the lid or unplugs the power in preparation for running off with the laptop.

From the local client you can choose several alarm and lock options. Just setting it to sound the alarm if the laptop is unplugged or the lid closed won't help you much, since the thief can just click a big on-screen button to turn Notebak off. Instead, set it to sound the alarm and lock the computer. You can choose from a dozen alarm sounds.

As with Laptop Superhero ($29.99/year direct, 2.5 stars) and LaptopSentry 3.1 ($9.99 direct, 2.5 stars), Notebak's alarm could be silenced by plugging headphones (or even a simple audio jack) into the headphone socket. The startled thief probably won't think of this ploy.

Serious Lockdown
The DigitaLabel feature goes way beyond merely invoking Windows's computer lock. When active, it displays a big notice on the laptop screen before Windows ever boots, saying "REWARD FOR RETURN." The notice contains a unique identifier along with Notebak's Web address. An honest user can report the find using the unique ID, without ever receiving your personal connection information. As the owner, you can bypass that screen by typing in a four-digit code that you'll find by logging in to the Notebak Web portal.

Naturally I tried to break through this protection, to somehow gain access without entering the four-digit code. I couldn't do it. The product includes advice to foil a thief who wants to reformat the drive, though of course there's no hope if the thief physically extracts the drive and installs it in another computer.

When a good Samaritan reports finding a lost laptop, the recovery process is flexible. If you want to pay a reward, Notebak will negotiate with the finder. They can set up a meeting or have the finder ship them the laptop (at your expense). You (and the finder) can remain anonymous. The point is to give you the best a chance at recovery.

For maximum security, you can set DigitaLabel so it's always active. That means each time you restart or unlock the computer for your own use, you'll need to enter that four-digit code. You can also set it to activate any time the laptop's location is outside a user-defined geofence (more about geofencing shortly).

At a minimum, the company recommends you set DigiaLabel to turn on automatically if the laptop hasn't connected to the Internet for a full day. Like the offline lock feature in Laptop Superhero, this helps ensure that a thief can't totally foil Notebak by isolating it from your remote commands.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/NnEnW6uOuJA/0,2817,2399391,00.asp

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'The Sting' actress Dimitra Arliss dies in LA (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Dimitra Arliss, who played a hired killer alongside Robert Redford and Paul Newman in the caper comedy "The Sting," has died in Los Angeles. She was 79.

Jaime Larkin, a spokesperson for the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital, says Arliss died Jan. 26 at the Woodland Hills facility of complications from a stroke.

The Ohio native began her acting career at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. On Broadway, Arliss starred opposite Stacy Keach in "Indians" and with Kevin Kline and John Malkovich in "Arms and the Man."

After appearing as a "hit lady" in the 1973 hit "The Sting," she was seen in "Xanadu," starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, and in Clint Eastwood's "Firefox."

Her numerous television credits include "Dallas," "Quincy M.E.," and "Rich Man, Poor Man."

Arliss is survived by a sister.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obits/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_en_ot/us_obit_dimitra_arliss

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Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video)

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

We're pretty fond of new ways to integrate smartphones with car stereos here at Engadget, which is why we're particularly intrigued by a new Kickstarter project called Dash. Unlike MirrorLink, which reflects a phone's interface onto a larger touchscreen, this nifty creation puts the smartphone front and center in the stereo itself. While the Dash will initially support only the iPhone 4 / 4S and iPod Touch -- which connects via the dock connector -- the company seems ambitious to target other platforms in the future.

The Dash comes in two parts, the double-DIN stereo itself, along with a detachable aluminum faceplate that's held to the main unit with neodymium magnets. The only interface element is a volume knob, as every other interaction is performed on the iPhone's 3.5-inch display -- just promise to keep your eyes on the road when you sort through your tunes. The stereo contains four 50W channels and two 2V preamps. The Dash is currently projected to ship in July for $300, but a $250 donation serves as a discounted preorder right now. It'll be available in a variety of colors, which you can peep in the gallery below, and be sure to check out the project's video after the break.

Gallery: Insert Coin: Dash car stereo

Continue reading Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video)

Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/wxhZXtLh8lU/

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HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

If there's one thing we took away from our jaunt at CES, it's this: consumers' appetites for mainstream laptops haven't waned all that much. Even in the Ultrabook category, Intel expects half of the models to go on sale this year will have 14- and 15-inch screens -- as strong an indicator as any that lots of folks aren't yet ready to give up their slightly larger screens, their discrete graphics, their (gasp!) optical drives. While HP recently announced its first Ultrabook for the consumer market, the Envy 14 Spectre, it's fully fleshed out its premium Envy series to include two additional models for people who crave more oomph.

The Envy 15 is the medium-sized member of the crew, with a 15.6-inch screen and the same overhauled design you'll find across the Envy lineup. Delightfully, too, it marks the return of HP's eye-popping Radiance display, and also comes with a generous two-year warranty and full copies of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements. And with a starting price of $1,100, it sharply undercuts the 15-inch MacBook Pro, while taking direct aim at other high-end 15-inchers, like the Dell XPS 15z and Samsung Series 7 Chronos. So how does it stack up? Meet us after the break to find out.

Gallery: HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

Continue reading HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

HP Envy 15 review (early 2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/m4ZWAiCc6tk/

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Trans-Canada Highway between Sicamous and Revelstoke closed for avalanche control

The Trans-Canada Highway between Revelstoke and Sicamous is currently closed for avalanche control.

DriveBC reports the closure will be from 8 to 10 a.m. Delays of two hours can be expected.

The Canadian Avalanche Centre's danger rating for the region is Considerable, meaning dangerous avalanche conditions.

"The recent storm snow is the main concern at this time," says a CAC bulletin. "Southwest winds have transported the snow into windslabs on north through east aspects. The storm slab consists of 40-80 cms across the region. This slab has started to settle, but may be triggered by the forecasted load of new snow. Beneath the slab is a weak layer of facets or small surface hoar that was buried on January 13th. Professionals continue to monitor and test the mid-december surface hoar layer, however it has been quite a while since we have seen any activity on this layer."

Flurries are expected to end today, with a weak ridge of high pressure moving in. However,?moderate gusty westerly winds and flurries are expected to bring another 5-10 cm by evening, states the CAC.

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Source: http://www.revelstoketimesreview.com/news/138134103.html

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Brooke Burke's Sweat and Butt Wiping (omg!)

Newlywed Brooke Burke Charvet, co-host of Dancing with the Stars, puts the "it" in fit. After having four kids, the audacity to wear a sports bra and short shorts while running could only come from a woman who knows she's got it going on. Her new exercise DVD, Transform Your Body with Brooke Burke: Tone & Tighten, may help you shave an inch or two, but it takes more than a DVD to have a body as great as Brooke's. She tells Fitness her five-day-a-week workout regimen includes Pilates Plus and a couple visits to the gym where she goes for a short treadmill workout and full-body toning.

Brooke Burke Ties the Knot

Hottest Spot: Abs
Even if they weren't so toned, her abs would still be her number one asset. While it's enviable that she lacks signs of carrying children, it's good to know she puts her kids, not her image, first. She reportedly schedules her workouts just as a doctor's appointment or sporting event for her kids, saying she never misses any of these things.

Guilty Pleasure: Spaghetti Bolognese
Brooke wears her craving like a badge of honor. In the February 2012 issue of Ladies Home Journal she says, "If I really crave something, I'll eat it and then get back into the groove afterward. I don't feel like I've failed or fallen off the wagon. Eating healthy shouldn't be torture."

Favorite Sport: Butt Wiping
Today Brooke tweeted her latest blog at? ModernMom.com with the title "The Greatest Butt Wiper." On second thought, it may be too cramped in the bathroom if the whole family decides to spectate. We probably don't need to know what makes her so good at it, seeing as hubby, David, is her only butt wiping competition.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_brooke_burkes_sweat_butt_wiping023200370/44322095/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/brooke-burkes-sweat-butt-wiping-023200370.html

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A confident Romney zings Gingrich in Republican debate No. 19

MItt Romney was ready to answer questions about his wealth and to rebut rival Newt Gingrich during Thursday's Republican debate, the last before the Florida primary on Tuesday.

Episode 19 in the Great Republican Debate-a-thon may be most remembered for its spirited discussion of moon colonies. But it was Mitt Romney?s sharp performance that won the night in the last debate before Florida?s crucial primary next Tuesday.

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Mr. Romney delivered his most confident answer to date on his wealth ? that it is a source of pride, not a reason to apologize. He zinged his top rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Newt Gingrich, over an ad on immigration that he called ?repulsive.? And he was ready with a comeback when Mr. Gingrich attacked him for having investments in Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Goldman Sachs: Gingrich, he pointed out, has investments in mutual funds that invest in Fannie and Freddie.

Gingrich backed down. The audience, which in previous debates had energized the former House speaker, applauded most for Romney.

The debate in Jacksonville, Fla., capped the week with the highest stakes to date for Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. He lost last Saturday?s primary to Gingrich by 12 percentage points, and needed a strong showing Thursday in a bid to retake momentum. The latest polls of Florida Republicans, taken after South Carolina and before the debate, show Romney may already be on his way: He has reversed his decline and is back on top.

Earlier this week, after facing intense pressure to release his tax returns, Romney finally obliged and put out two years? worth. The confirmation that he had money invested abroad ? including in a Swiss account ? will certainly show up in President Obama?s arsenal against the wealthy former businessman, if Romney is the nominee. But on Thursday, Romney pivoted off Gingrich?s populism and found his voice on a matter that his supporters have been urging him to address in positive terms: his vast wealth.

?I'm proud of being successful; I'm proud of being in the free enterprise system that creates jobs for other people,? Romney said. ?I'm not going to run from that.?

Romney also got an assist from debate moderator Wolf Blitzer of CNN. When Gingrich launched into his usual tactic of attacking a question, Mr. Blitzer didn?t back down, as CNN?s John King had a week ago during a debate in South Carolina.

Blitzer asked Gingrich if he was satisfied with Romney?s level of transparency over his tax returns. Gingrich called it ?a nonsense question.?

?But Mr. Speaker, you made an issue of this this week when you said that he lives in a world of Swiss bank and Cayman Island bank accounts,? Blitzer said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/FBdSFcbMbcM/A-confident-Romney-zings-Gingrich-in-Republican-debate-No.-19

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Romanians take to streets in austerity winter (Reuters)

BUCHAREST, Jan 27 ? In December 1989, art student Titi Amzar risked his life to join the demonstrations in University Square that brought down reviled communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Now 43, Amzar is back on the square demanding much the same thing - a new leader for Romania.

"All these post-communist governments have been incompetent," Amzar, now a designer, told Reuters at the crossing of broad boulevards in central Bucharest where some 50 protesters were killed more than 20 years ago.

"The political class is the main culprit for the collapse of our economic system and the ills of the society."

Protests against President Traian Basescu and his close ally, Prime Minister Emil Boc, have occurred daily for two weeks and spread around the country, initially against proposed health reforms but quickly broadening to express unhappiness with tough austerity measures and corruption.

Many demonstrators, like Amzar, have also criticized the opposition and questioned if any of Romania's current leaders can fix the country's problems.

The unrest, the worst in more than a decade, is still far from serious enough to sway policy or threaten the government.

But it may derail Boc's chances in parliamentary elections late in 2012 and leave Basescu, who will not face the voters until presidential elections in 2014, stuck in an unhappy marriage with his opponents.

Basescu has a theoretically non-executive position but makes almost all major Romanian policy announcements himself, including wage and pension cuts in 2010, a new International Monetary Fund deal and withdrawal of the healthcare reforms.

The bluff former sea captain, president since 2004, made a serious misstep when he criticized the popular deputy health minister Raed Arafat, prompting his resignation and sparking the demonstrations.

Basescu had accused Arafat, a Palestinian-born doctor who created Romania's widely admired main emergency response system, of being a left-winger - a sensitive thing to say in post-communist Romania - after he opposed privatization of the health system.

STILL POOR

While Romania has made huge strides in the last 20 years, its per capita income is still less than half the EU average and it is still markedly poorer than other former communist countries like Poland and Hungary. Many villages and even some parts of Bucharest still have no running water or electricity.

Romanians tended to suffer quietly under communism and there was no equivalent of 1956 in Hungary or the 1968 Prague Spring. But tempers boiled over in 1989 after years of food and energy shortages and Romania's revolution was that year's bloodiest, with more than 1,000 killed.

The thousands who have taken to the streets this month chose

University Square, where the 1989 protesters assembled and now known as 'Kilometer Zero of Democracy', to echo the events of that year.

They are angry about lack of progress in catching up with other members of the European Union and a perception that politicians are more interested in lining their pockets than working to improve the country.

"Romanians put up with a lot if they perceive the government to be fair, but this government has come to be seen as acting unilaterally and imposing discretionary cuts," said Alina Mungiu-Pippidi of the Romanian Academic Society thinktank.

The demonstrators wave placards comparing Basescu with Ceausescu and Dracula, saying he is sucking the nation's blood. But they also criticize the opposition, some of whose MPs have said they will push for Basescu's impeachment.

Although the protests have been mostly peaceful, demonstrators have thrown bricks and set fires, prompting the police to respond with tear gas.

"A large majority of the population would now like 'Basescu out' but beats a retreat when the talk turns to who they would like to put in," wrote Grigore Cartianu, editor of daily Adevarul.

LONG WAY BACK

The Basescu/Boc team presided over boom and bust and passed some of Europe's harshest austerity to balance the economy, including 25 percent salary cuts and a 5 point hike in value added tax.

About three quarters of the population think the country is heading in the wrong direction, a Eurobarometer survey showed.

"The whole system is wrong ... otherwise how can one explain that people who work legally don't have the basics assured from a state salary?" said 42-year-old Daniela Lupu, a public clerk who lives on a monthly wage of just 700 lei ($210) a month.

Boc has effectively admitted the weakness of his Democrat-Liberal party's position by reappointing Arafat and has a long way back from 18 percent in opinion polls, compared with about 50 percent for the USL, an uneasy leftist alliance.

The USL has promised to revoke some austerity measures and if it sticks together and polls well enough to take power it would be stuck with Basescu - who can delay and try to block legislation - until 2014.

Ultimately Boc and Basescu will be judged on results. But with growth of only about 2 percent expected this year, the clock is ticking.

"If in spring some growth starts coming then they can start reaping benefit. If it doesn't come by then, it's too late," said Guy Burrow, partner at consultancy Candole in Bucharest.

Amzar, protesting in the chill breeze on University Square, runs his own small advertising business which has been hurt by dwindling demand, though he has not been directly affected by salary or pension cuts.

"It is clear that incompetence, siphoning of public money and improper laws designed for cronies have affected the whole economy," he said.

"I don't love Basescu's government nor do I like the opposition - all the politicians now are like dogs fighting over a bone."

($1 = 3.4134 Romanian lei)

(Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/wl_nm/us_romania_protests

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GOP Candidates Spar on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (ContributorNetwork)

American taxpayers have contributed more than $183 billion to bailout mortgage lenders Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae in the years following the housing collapse, according to CNN. Given this considerable burden, the Republican presidential candidates were asked if they played any role in aiding these two firms and how they plan on helping distressed homeowners.

Here is what they said, according to the Florida GOP debate transcript provided by the Council on Foreign Relations:

* Rick Santorum: "There were several of us in the United States Senate back in 2005 and 2006 who saw the problem with Freddie and Fannie, and tried to move forth with a bill. We voted a bill out of committee to try ? to constrain Fannie and Freddie, and there were a lot of people out there fighting that, including Harry Reid and his minions. I signed a letter ? that said ? if we don`t constrain these two behemoths from continuing to underwrite this subprime mortgage problem, then we`re going to have a collapse. The problem now is, what are you going to do about it? And what I've said is ? let capitalism work. Allow these banks to realize their losses. And create an opportunity for folks who have houses to realize their losses and at least help them out."

* Ron Paul: "Everybody now admits in Washington interest rates were kept too low, too long. ? They kept interest rates especially low with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and there was a line of credit there, and it was a guarantee. As a matter of fact, I had introduced legislation 10 years before the bubble burst to eliminate that line of credit. But then the Community Reinvestment Act added more fuel to it, forcing banks to make loans that are risky loans. ? The consequences were anticipated. It was all government manufactured. ? The best thing you can do is get out of the way, because you want the prices to come down so that people will start buying them again, but politicians can't allow that to happen. Our policies in Washington still has been to try to stimulate houses and keep prices up."

* Mitt Romney: "Mr. Speaker ? you said you were paid $300,000 by Freddie Mac as an historian. They don`t pay people $25,000 a month for six years as historians. ? This contract proves that you were not an historian. You were a consultant. ? And you were hired by the chief lobbyist of Freddie Mac, not the CEO, not the head of public affairs. You also spoke publicly in favor of these government-sponsored entities at a very time when Freddie Mac was getting America in a position where we would have had a massive housing collapse. ? You could have spoken out in a way to say these guys are wrong, this needs to end. But instead, you were being paid by them. You were making over $1 million at the same time people in Florida were being hurt by millions of dollars."

* Newt Gingrich: "I have never done any lobbying. Congressman J.C. Watts, who for seven years was the head of the Freddie Mac Watch Committee, said flatly he has never been approached by me. The fact is that Congressman Rick Lazio, who is chairman of the Housing Subcommittee, said he has never been approached by me. And the only report in the newspaper was "The New York Times" in July of 2008, which said I told the House Republicans they should vote no, not give Freddie Mac any money, because it needed to be reformed."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120125/pl_ac/10882649_gop_candidates_spar_on_freddie_mac_and_fannie_mae

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Nadal tops Federer in Australian Open semifinal

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland during their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland during their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Spain's Rafael Nadal, left, celebrates a point win against Switzerland's Roger Federer during their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Joe Castro,Pool)

Spain's Rafael Nadal signs autographs after defeating Switzerland's Roger Federer in their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Sarah Ivey)

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning his match against Roger Federer of Switzerland in the mens semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Sarah Ivey)

Roger Federer of Switzerland walks off Rod Laver Arena after his loss to Rafael Nadal of Spain during their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Rafael Nadal outlasted Roger Federer 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in an Australian Open semifinal on Thursday night, the longtime rivals playing with the intensity normally displayed when meeting in a Grand Slam final.

The stars who met in eight Grand Slam finals were on the same side of the draw for the first time at a major since 2005.

Two weeks ago, Nadal injured his right knee and wasn't sure he'd be able to start the tournament. Now, he can barely believe he's in the final.

"If you tell me that two Sundays ago, I really cannot imagine," Nadal said. "For me, it's a dream to be back in a final of the Australian Open."

Nadal will have the opportunity to win another championship on Sunday night when the Spanish left-hander plays the winner of the semifinal Friday between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Earlier Thursday, Maria Sharapova overcame Petra Kvitova to advance to the women's final against Victoria Azarenka. Sharapova broke Kvitova's serve in the last game to finish off a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory and the third-seeded Azarenka beat defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 to set up a Saturday night final at Rod Laver Arena that will decide the No. 1 ranking.

Nadal, who holds a 6-2 edge in Grand Slam finals against Federer, made the key service break in the ninth game of the fourth set, making an incredible cross-court forehand winner from well behind the baseline, then watching as Federer hit a backhand wide to give Nadal a 5-4 lead.

Serving for the match, Nadal moved two points away from the win when Federer sent a backhand long. He won on his second match point when Federer floated a forehand long.

At the end, Nadal smashed a ball up high in the stadium, almost clearing the roof. He then applauded along with the crowd when Federer walked off.

The 25-year-old Spaniard won the 2009 Australian title but lost in the quarterfinals in his next two trips to Melbourne Park. Federer hasn't added to his record 16 Grand Slam titles since he won the 2010 Australian Open.

"I thought Rafa played well from start to finish," Federer said. "It was a tough match physically as well. I'm disappointed, but it's only the beginning of the season. I'm feeling all right, so it's OK."

When the often enthralling play was suspended for 10 minutes late in the second set for an Australian Day fireworks display, Federer seemed to be affected most. Nadal led 5-2 at the time, and Federer lost his serve in the next game to give the Spaniard the set. In all, the Swiss dropped 11 points in a row.

"It's tough, it's not helpful, that's for sure," Federer said of the break for the fireworks. "They told us before, so it was no surprise. But I knew it was a lot of points in a row that I lost."

The capacity, 15,000-strong crowd was evenly split in its support, with the names seeming to blur after the R in rival chants.

Each time somebody called out for Rafa, it was met by a response for Roger. The cheers were just as loud for Nadal's scrambling, sometimes astonishing, passing shots as for Federer's deft winners.

With the players on serve in the second set, Nadal went so far wide on a Federer return that he was near the side wall of the arena. Incredibly, he stretched wide and returned the ball crosscourt for a winner. That set up three break points and Nadal clinched the game to take a 4-2 lead in the second set.

Federer saved a set point in the 11th game of the third set that eventually forced a tiebreaker. But Federer made three unforced errors in the tiebreaker to give Nadal a 6-1 lead, and the Spaniard eventually clinched the set on his last opportunity of five set points.

"Please win the point, that's all," Nadal recalled when asked what he was telling himself at 6-5 in the tiebreaker. "I was very, very nervous at that moment. Losing four set points in a row is tough, especially when you play the toughest in history."

Both players were asked if they bring out the best in each other.

"I don't know if it's true ... it's my assumption," Federer said. "I feel he plays really good against me. He's also got a winning record against me which maybe gives him extra confidence. I think he has a clear plan and he follows that one very well."

Nadal said that's not the case.

"I don't play my best tennis because it's Roger in front, I play my best tennis because I am ready to play my best tennis," Nadal said. "It's true I played a lot of good matches against him during my career ... but I believe that he played a few fantastic matches against me, too."

Clijsters was in the crowd, only hours after her title defense ended. And Ivan Lendl was at Rod Laver Arena for a second night, scouting opponents again as Murray's coach. So were former Australian greats Laver, Ken Rosewall and Pat Rafter.

Sharapova lost to second-ranked Kvitova in the Wimbledon final last year, her first major final since returning from an injury layoff following a shoulder operation in 2008. She has won three majors, but none since the 2008 Australian Open.

"In the third set, I felt she always had the advantage because I was always down on my serve," said Sharapova, who served five double-faults in the third set and 10 in the match. "I just told myself 'You just gotta go for it, don't let her finish off the points like she likes to.'"

Azarenka won the first semifinal after twice recovering from periods when a resurgent Clijsters seemed to have the upper hand, to secure victory in only her second appearance in a major semifinal.

"I felt like my hand is about 200 kilograms and my body is about 1,000 and everything is shaking, but that feeling when you finally win is such a relief. My God, I cannot believe it's over. I just want to cry," Azarenka said as she choked back tears, then buried her face in a towel.

Clijsters is popular in Australia, where she's widely known as "Aussie Kim" after dating Lleyton Hewitt years ago. She had most of the backing from the crowd on the national holiday in what is likely to be her last Australian Open.

Azarenka held her nerve despite the crowd and playing against a proven big-match player. Clijsters has won four majors and has defended a Grand Slam title ? winning the U.S. Open in 2009 and '10. To reach the semifinals, the Belgian saved four match points despite a sprained ankle to beat French Open champion Li Na in the fourth round and beat top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.

"I guess before you all thought I was a mental case," Azarenka said in a courtside interview. "I was just young and emotional. I'm really glad the way I fight, that's the most thing I'm really proud of. I fight for every ball."

Wozniacki will vacate top spot in next week's rankings after her quarterfinal loss, leaving either No. 3 Azarenka and No. 4 Sharapova a chance to move to the top.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-26-TEN-Australian-Open/id-3e4708f8494a473ca2744f5316f47418

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