Fresh iPhone Apps for Jan. 31: VIPOrbit update, Evi, Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land, Robo Ring (Appolicious)

Manage the relationships you have with your contacts list, and keep track of when you interact with important people both professionally and personally, with VIPOrbit, today?s top Fresh iPhone app. The app just got a big update and now even supports Siri. If you don?t happen to have Siri, that?s okay ? Evi, a low-cost alternative to Apple?s new app, has your back, at least for a few things like searching the web. Lovecraftian turn-based strategy title Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land kicks off today?s games offerings, followed by the simple but well-made runner title, Robo Ring.

If you?re a heavy iOS user in your professional life, you might want to invest $5 in VIPOrbit, a contacts manager that keeps lots of data on the people you meet so it?s always on-hand. The app links your contacts and calendars, allowing you not only to keep all a person?s contact information, but also a timeline of when you?ve talked, had meetings, made notes and ticked off items on your to-do list related to that person. You can also set VIPOrbit to keep track of that information automatically.

VIPOrbit just got a big interface update, making it easier and quicker to use. It also now includes group emailing and task management capabilities within your ?orbits,? and it even supports Siri for all you savvy iPhone 4S users out there.

Evi (iPhone, iPad) $0.99

You?ll need an iPhone 4S to get access to Apple?s new Siri voice-activated personal assistant app, but if you?re one of the millions of people who hasn?t upgraded to the latest and greatest iPhone, there are alternatives. One of them is Evi, a low-cost Siri-like app that doesn?t have all the capabilities of the Apple-made voice-activated software, but which is pretty robust nonetheless.

Evi is designed to search the Internet and answer questions you ask it, using plain English. It?s pretty good at getting your meaning, too. If you ask where the nearest Mexican restaurant is, for example, the app can find it for you and return an audible answer, just like Siri. It can?t take dictation, but Evi offers a low-cost alternative to the popular Apple app, and it has definitely helped me fake like I was a super-cool iPhone 4S owner.

A turn-based strategy game based on the role-playing game series of the same name and the classic H.P. Lovecraft novella, Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land puts you in control of a team of British soldiers and investigators tasked with stopping a German cult from summoning an ancient evil during World War I. In each round of the game, you?ll move your troops around grid-covered levels, fighting enemy soldiers and completing objectives as you build out the game?s story.

Call of Cthulhu features fully 3-D graphics with Retina display support, as well as an original Lovecraft-inspired story set in the world of the well-loved game franchise. There?s also Game Center support for achievements and leaderboards.

Robo Ring (iPhone, iPad) $0.99

Robo Ring is something of an endless runner title, in which you play a ring-shaped robot moving from left to right on the screen over a track. The game works pretty well because of its simplicity: A slider control on the right side of the screen allows you to make your robot larger or smaller. You?ll need to snag stars by expanding or contracting the ring to make them hit your robot, while avoiding obstacles that stick to the track or hang from the ceiling.

Smack too many of the obstacles and your game ends, but every star you snag restores a little bit of your life bar. Robo Ring works because it actually requires quick reflexes and a deft touch, despite being pretty easy to grasp. The more stars you rack up, the higher your score gets, and Robo Ring keeps track of your progress on its Game Center and OpenFeint leaderboards.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_appolicious_com_articles10913_fresh_iphone_apps_for_jan_31_viporbit_update_evi_call_of_cthulhu_the_wasted_land_robo_ring/44362827/SIG=14bgbro5c/*http%3A//www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/10913-fresh-iphone-apps-for-jan-31-viporbit-update-evi-call-of-cthulhu-the-wasted-land-robo-ring

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Nearly 14-pound baby boy born in Des Moines (AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa ? An Iowa woman has given birth to a boy weighing 13 pounds and 13 ounces ? without the aid of surgery.

Asher Stewardson was born Thursday at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, measuring 23 1/2 inches long. Fifteen months ago, his brother, Judah, arrived weighing 12 pounds and an ounce at birth.

Mercy officials say only a tenth of 1 percent of all newborns weigh more than 11 pounds at birth.

The boys' mother, Kendall Stewardson, endured six hours of labor without an epidural injection. She says she and her husband, Joshua, wanted to avoid cesarean delivery because that wouldn't have been good for her or Asher.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_us/us_big_baby_iowa

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ATM Gives Out Dead Mouse [Wtf]

You know the economy is really going to bloody hell when ATMs start to pay bank customers with dead rodents, which is exactly what happened to this guy on the right. He got his cash and the dead Mickey on the left. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/eVkeiqBUdXg/this-atm-gave-out-this-dead-mouse-after-delivering-cash

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Vignettes from Iraq War veterans (AP)

ST. LOUIS ? They speak of their service matter-of-factly. Yes, the danger was always there. Yes, they saw horrific things. But they had a job to do, and they did it.

Even though the end of the Iraq War was celebrated Saturday with a parade that drew thousands to downtown St. Louis, many of the veterans who participated expect they may be redeployed to Afghanistan or somewhere else in the war on terror. Still, they appreciated the welcome-home

Here are a few of their stories.

___

Army Maj. Rich Radford had two long tours of duty in Iraq under almost constant threat of violence.

Radford, a combat engineer, spent 15 months on his first tour starting in January 2004, then about 10 months when he went back in September 2009. He earned the Bronze Star for his service.

"Every day we were in danger," Radford, 40, said, "because the Iraqis didn't like us, didn't want us in their country. They would sell out our positions, our missions."

Radford, a 23-year military veteran, marched in the parade with his two children, Aimee, 8, and Warren, 12. An image of the father and daughter upon his return home from the second tour of duty is emblazoned on T-shirts and posters associated with the parade, fashioned from a photo taken by Radford's sister of Aimee, then 6, reaching up for her father's hand as family greeting him at Lambert Airport in St. Louis.

"She grabbed my hand and said, `I missed you, Daddy,'" Radford recalled. "That's been my Facebook page picture ever since."

___

Air Force veteran Kevin Jackson got a nice welcome-home with Saturday's parade, something his father never got for his service.

Don Jackson, 63, served in Vietnam. America still stings from the treatment of Vietnam veterans. There was no parade, no rally, when that conflict ended in the mid-1970s. Not that Don Jackson is complaining.

"I didn't need a parade. I was just glad to be home. This is for them," he said, nodding to his son and other young veterans.

Kevin Jackson, 33, is glad to be home, too. He has lost track of how many times he was sent overseas ? three or four tours of duty in Iraq, four or five in Afghanistan.

In Iraq, Jackson's job was to teach Iraqis how to fly three C-130s planes that the U.S. donated to the Iraqi Air Force.

It wasn't easy. First, they had to teach them English. And turnover was constant.

"They'd be there for a couple of weeks then go home on break and not come back," Jackson said. "The bad guys would find out they were working with the Americans and threaten their families. So they wouldn't come back."

___

Gayla Gibson didn't know much about improvised explosive devices before the Air Force sent her to Iraq in July 2003. She spent the next four months as part of the first line of help for soldiers wounded by IED attacks.

"We saw some horrible things," she said. "Amputations. Broken bones. Severe burns from IEDs. It was pretty much every day."

Gibson and other medical technicians helped mend the wounded best they could before they were moved to hospitals in Germany.

"We'd talk to them, try to comfort them," she said. "Mostly we wanted to stabilize them."

Gibson, 38, was thrilled that her hometown of St. Louis was the site of the first big parade to welcome home those who gave much for their country.

"I think it's great when people come out to support those who gave their lives and put their lives on the line for this country," Gibson said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_us/us_iraq_war_parade_vignettes

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Glitzy new AU headquarters a symbol of China-Africa ties (Reuters)

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) ? Standing on what was once Ethiopia's oldest maximum security prison, the new African Union headquarters funded by China is a symbol of the Asian giant's push to stay ahead in Africa and gain greater access to the continent's resources.

Critics point to an imbalance in what they see as the new "Scramble for Africa." But the prospect of growing Chinese economic influence is welcomed by African leaders, who see Beijing as a partner to help build their economies at a time when Europe and the United States are mired in economic turmoil.

And Africans are hoping for more Chinese largesse.

"The future prospects of our partnership are even brighter," Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Saturday at the new headquarters' multi-storey amphitheatre, where an African heads of states' summit will take place Sunday and Monday.

"China - its amazing re-emergence and its commitments for a win-win partnership with Africa - is one of the reasons for the beginning of the African renaissance," he said.

The brown marble and glass monolith was fully paid for by China, right down to the office furniture, and cost $200 million. The office complex and almost 100 metre (330 foot) tower is Addis Ababa's tallest building by far.

For the past decade, Africa has recorded economic growth of an average of 5 percent but its under-developed infrastructure has in part hindered its capacity to develop further.

Chinese companies are changing that. They are building roads and investing in the energy sector, and are active in areas such as telecoms technology.

China's most senior political adviser, Jia Qinglin, said trade between the two partners had grown to $150 billion, and the unveiling of the headquarters was a "milestone" in the ties between China and Africa.

As the biggest consumer of iron-ore, China has a relentless hunger for African minerals and energy.

Beijing now appears keener to flex its diplomatic muscle in the continent. It has also contributed $4.5 million for the African Union peacekeeping force battling Islamist militants in Somalia.

Outside the complex, hundreds of Chinese support staff, delegates and officials snapped pictures of their country's most ostentatious presence yet in Africa.

Critics point to land grabs and mistreatment of African workers on Chinese-funded projects. Even when it comes to job opportunities, in some instances China brings in teams of workers and technical experts.

Yet African officials insist they aren't being manipulated by China, and say the relationship is not based on aid but on trade and development.

"There are people who still consider Africans like children who can be easily manipulated. The good thing about this partnership is that it's give and take," the Democratic Republic of Congo's ambassador to Washington, Faida Mitifu, told Reuters.

(Editing by James Macharia and Alessandra Rizzo)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/wl_nm/us_africa_china

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RolePlayGateway?

Hello,

I'm looking for a RP partner for a 1x1 roleplay! I don't have any set ideas, but I'm looking for someone who is not afraid to try something new.

Here are some things that you might want to know:

I don't mind any paring - I can do yaoi/slash, yuri/fem-slash, het...I am very open about these things although I tend to lean towards yaoi as I'm more experienced in that. I don't mind doing PG or NC-17 stuff.I can play high-rated things, as I don't really mind getting down and dirty, if you know what I mean. However, that content is strictly off-site email RP as I don't want to break any RPG rules.

I will NOT roleplay Twilight. Ever. Normal werewolf/vampire/magical creature/supernatural RPs are fine, just not when the werewolves have practically no weaknesses and the vampires sparkle.

I can do pretty much any setting sans Western,Star Wars-y sci fi and Historically Accurate RPs. History was never my strong point and I have no interest in the first two. I love romance and dark/horror settings. From fandoms, I can do Naruto, Harry Potter and The Night Angel Trilogy.

I consider myself a literate roleplayer, and I expect you to be at least semi-literate or higher. I also don't want someone abandoning the roleplay out of the blue.

I think that is enough information for you. Also, I have an idea for a roleplay that I would love to do with someone:

(Note: This is written as a yaoi, but can be easily changed to yuri or het.)
A man is shipwrecked on a tropical island and he is the only survivor. At first, he thinks that he is the only one on the on the island and knows that there is no chance of him being rescued. Then he meets another man - who's part of a tribe of people that lived on the island in seclusion for generations. The two later have a romance and the shipwrecked man becomes part of the tribe.

This is only the bare bones of it, as I generally like to work with the people I RP with to flesh things out :) I have a bit more planned, but that's for you to find out some other time!

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes to battle Justin Gabriel in a fierce SmackDown rematch

After their electrifying match one week ago on SmackDown, Justin Gabriel and Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes will once again try to settle their differences in the ring this Friday on SmackDown.

SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long granted the non-title rematch after being impressed by the South African?s good showing against Rhodes on ?Sin City SmackDown.? Gabriel and the Intercontinental Champion clashed after the high-flyer intervened on behalf of Rhodes? original opponent, Hornswoggle. Rhodes prevailed in that bout, but this week, the high-flying Gabriel has promised to unleash his entire arsenal.

To catch all the action, tune into SyFy this Friday at 8/7 CT.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2012-01-20/rhodes-gabriel-rematch

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?Family values? still matter ? when it?s the other party?s indiscretions (Washington Post)

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

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Breakout Boost, Worldictionary, Jump Out!, Peak Meetings, The Wiggles? Alphabet Adventure [Daily apps]

Breakout Boost: This arcade classic is now enhanced with improved graphics and deeper gameplay features such as power ups, unique brick types, and Boost Control! The faster your ball goes,

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/DFXI1_x_yO4/story01.htm

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Newt Gingrich defends Mitt Romney immigration ad that his campaign has yanked (Washington Bureau)

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Stem cell eye remedy 'seems safe'

24 January 2012 Last updated at 07:36 ET By Michelle Roberts Health reporter, BBC News

Early results from the world's first human trial using embryonic stem cells to treat diseases of the eye suggest the method is safe, say researchers.

US firm Advanced Cell Technology told The Lancet how two patients who had received the retinal implants were doing well, four months on.

Trials of the same technique have now started at London's Moorfields Eye Hospital.

But experts say it will be years before these treatments are proven.

The aim of these first human studies is to establish that the treatment is safe to use.

The treatment takes healthy immature cells from a human embryo, which are then manipulated to grow into the cells that line the back of the eye - the retina.

Experts hope that by injecting these cells into a diseased eye, they will be able to restore vision for people with currently incurable conditions such as Stargardt's disease - one of the main causes of blindness in young people.

Advanced Cell Technology, along with the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, are reporting their first experiences with this treatment in human trials.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

This is a significant moment because there has been so much expectation about human embryonic stem cells ?

End Quote Fergus Walsh BBC Medical Correspondent

The study involved one elderly patient in her 70s with dry age-related macular degeneration - the leading cause of blindness in the developed world - and another female patient in her 50s with Stargardt's disease.

Both had very poor vision and were registered blind.

Each patient was given an injection containing 50,000 of the retinal pigment epithelium cells into one of their diseased eyes.

After surgery, structural evidence confirmed the cells had attached to the eye's membrane as hoped, and continued to survive throughout the next 16 weeks of the study.

Furthermore, the procedure appeared to be safe, causing no signs of rejection or abnormal cell growth.

Although this study is not designed to see if the procedure actually works, the researchers say their results do suggest that their patients' vision has improved slightly.

But they say it is still too soon to make any firm conclusions and that many more years of investigation will be needed to confirm that the treatment is both safe and effective.

They told The Lancet: "The ultimate therapeutic goal will be to treat patients earlier in the disease processes, potentially increasing the likelihood of photoreceptor and central visual rescue."

But even if this does become possible, such treatments would face stiff opposition by critics who say it is ethically wrong to use human embryonic tissue.

Dr Dusko Ilic, Senior Lecturer in Stem Cell Science at Kings College London, said that these early findings did not necessarily hint towards a viable treatment.

"We should keep in mind that people are not rats.

"The number one priority of initial clinical trial is always patient safety. If everyone expects that the blind patients will see after being treated with human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium, even if the treatment ends up being safe (which is what Advanced Cell Technology are trying to determine in this trial), they risk being unnecessarily disappointed."

UK stem cell expert Chris Mason added: "We do not have a complete answer yet. But it is a valuable next step."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/health-16687974

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Jupiter?s 'Trojans' on an atomic scale

ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2012) ? The planet Jupiter keeps asteroids on stable orbits -- and in a similar way, electrons can be stabilized in their orbit around the atomic nucleus. Calculations carried out at the Vienna University of Technology have now been verified in an experiment.

Planets can orbit a star for billions of years. Electrons circling the atomic nucleus are often visualized as tiny planets. But due to quantum effects, the behavior of atoms usually differs significantly from planetary systems. Austrian and US-American scientists have now succeeded in keeping electrons on planet-like orbits for a long time. This was done using an idea from astronomy: Jupiter stabilizes the orbits of asteroids (the so called "Trojans"), and in a very similar way, the orbits of electrons around the nucleus can be stabilized using an electromagnetic field. The results of this experiment have now been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Giant Atoms

They are probably the largest atoms on earth: "The diameter of the electronic orbits is several hundredths of a millimeter -- an enormous distance on an atomic scale," says Shuhei Yoshida (Vienna UT). The atoms are even larger than erythrocytes. Yoshida made the calculations at Vienna University of Technology, the experiment was carried out at Rice University in Houston (Texas).

The Electron is not a Planet

The idea that atoms are similar to planetary systems dates back to Niels Bohr: he came up with the first atomic model, in which electrons circle the nucleus in well-defined orbits. This view, however, is now seen to be outdated. In quantum physics, the electron is described as a quantum wave, or a "probability cloud," that surrounds the atomic nucleus. The location of an electron in the ground state (the lowest possible energy level) is not well defined. Relative to the nucleus, it is situated in all possible directions at the same time. Asking about its "real position" or its orbit just does not make sense. Only if the electron is transferred into a state of higher energy, it can be manipulated in such a way that it moves along orbit-like paths.

Jupiter's trick -- Used for the Atom

Unlike planets, electrons will not keep moving in such an orbit for ever. "Without additional stabilization, the electron-wave would become delocalized after a few cycles," says Professor Joachim Burgd?rfer, head of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Vienna UT. A simple idea on how to stabilize orbits has been known in astronomy for a long time: the gravity of Jupiter, the heaviest planet in our solar system, stabilizes the orbits of the "Trojans" -- thousands of small asteroids. They aggregate around so-called "Lagrange points" on Jupiter's orbital path. Staying close to these Lagrange points, the asteroids circle the sun together with the planet -- with exactly the same orbital velocity, so that the asteroids never collide with Jupiter.

In the experiment, the stabilizing influence of Jupiter's gravity is substituted by a cleverly designed electromagnetic field. The field oscillates precisely with the frequency corresponding to the orbital period of the electron around the nucleus. It sets the pace for the electron, and that way the electron-wave is kept at a specific point for a long time -- much like a large number of asteroids, staying close to Jupiter's Lagrange points on their orbit around the sun. Quantum physics even allows manipulations which are impossible in a planetary system: using the electromagnetic field, the electron can by shifted into a different orbit -- as if the orbit of Jupiter and its asteroids was suddenly shifted to the orbit of Saturn.

Big and Small

The physicists succeeded in creating an atomic miniature version of a solar system and preparing atoms which are remarkably close to the historic Bohr model. In future, the researchers want to prepare atoms in which several electrons move on planetary orbits at the same time. Using such atoms, it should be possible to investigate in greater detail how the quantum-world of tiny objects corresponds to the classical world as we perceive it.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Vienna University of Technology, TU Vienna, via AlphaGalileo.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. B. Wyker, S. Ye, F. Dunning, S. Yoshida, C. Reinhold, J. Burgd?rfer. Creating and Transporting Trojan Wave Packets. Physical Review Letters, 2012; 108 (4) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.043001

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

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

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091057.htm

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PFT: Steelers ready for big changes on defense

Getty Images

The pursuit of public funds for football stadiums carries with it certain obligations that wouldn?t apply if football teams would simply build their own buildings.? In Florida, the powers-that-be previously passed a law requiring venues that receive public funds to discharge an important public duty:? provide shelter to the homeless when the buildings are otherwise not in use.

To date, the three NFL stadiums located in Florida, along with numerous other facilities, have failed to comply.? Now, a pair of Republican legislators hope to force the stadiums to comply ? or to refund the public money previously received.

?These organizations have failed to follow the law for over 20 years,? Representative Frank Artiles (R-Miami) said in a statement, via the Tampa Bay Times.? ?This is the simply the State of Florida holding them accountable.?

Per the Palm Beach Post, Senator Mike Bennett claims that none of the 17 facilities that have received public assistance have complied with the law.? This includes Tampa?s Raymond James Stadium, Jacksonville?s EverBank Field, and Miami?s SunLife Stadium.

Under a measure introduced by Bennett, counties and/or franchises that have received state money would have to prove the existence of a homeless shelter for use on non-event evenings or refund the money.

According to the Times, SunLife Stadium has received $37 million, Everbank Field has received $35.1 million, and Raymond James Stadium has received $30 million.

It?s a great move.? Florida has subsidized pro sports franchises with a clear expectation that the pro sports franchises will help the homeless.? The pro sports franchises have pocketed the money while ignoring their obligations.

Here?s hoping that Stephen Ross, the Glazers, and Shad Khan will make this right without having to be forced to do so.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/22/steelers-ready-for-big-changes-on-defense/related/

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Kristin Chenoweth National Anthem Rendition: An Epic Win!

Unlike Steven Tyler's national anthem performance at the AFC Championship Game, no one will be debating whether or not Kristin Chenoweth killed hers a few hours later.

How that voice projects from a woman not even five feet tall is amazing.

The Broadway star and actress, who will soon take her talents to ABC's new show GCB, took the field before the NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, California.

The New York Giants prevailed in overtime, 20-17, to advance to the Super Bowl. Watch Kristin honor America with a terrific rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" below ...

Kristin Chenoweth Sings National Anthem

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/kristin-chenoweth-national-anthem-rendition-an-epic-win/

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Investing in bio diesel: Add to an enviromentally friendly world as ...

There?s been greater attention in this issue in latest years, however would it be well worth investing in bio diesel? There is certainly no hesitation that will governing bodies and people about the world are under better pressure than in the past to generate clean energy, that?s, energy that?s not produced from non-renewable fuels since of the damaging influence they?ve on the setting.

Predictions conclude in which the demand for energy will have risen through Sixty five per dime between now as well as The year 2030 and so it is clear which alternative sources will need to be created. Bio diesel is actually proving to become one of people alternative sources so the requirement for the idea will simply boost.

To these sceptics which feel that bio diesel just isn?t way up to the job, it?s worthy of jotting it was utilized in the The Mans 24-hour strength ethnic background by the Lola access, knowning that a number of main airline carriers are choosing that in a selection of recipes in test plane tickets that they?re expecting will enable for more affordable air travel in which will have got a much lowered as well as foot print.

Interestingly, the source of this bio-diesel will be the Jatropha tree, that?s what?s making so much exhilaration when considering to investing in bio diesel. This is not a new source of green oil; it?s already getting used for transfer along with in a few countries it?s also utilised to produce energy manufacturing on a large level. The beauty of it?s that it is almost carbon neutral when it?s employed along with, of course, it soaks in fractional co2 if it is increasing.

The fruit that will the Jatropha makes presents an organic oil in which can be converted into bio diesel; the husk of the fruit can also be squashed along with burnt for heat, as well as used as a fertilizer, in medicines and also the creation of latex. It takes one tree to create a liter of oil as well as a 500 trees (consequently a 500 litres) can become grown on one acre.

Clearly, financial worries should be deemed whenever thinking about investing in bio diesel: it will require three years for a Jatropha tree to attain their optimum productiveness, yet this kind of does certainly not imply that it cannot supply a very good return prior to this kind of. In fact, cautious projections appraisal in which the newbie will provide a return of 5%; the second 12 months will twice to provide a return of 12 per penny; and also thereon for way up to Forty five years presently there will become a return of 20 per penny.

These kinds of numbers are actually determined on a careful price of oil, so it is protected to think that must the price of oil go up considerably, thus will the requirement for bio diesel and also, as a result, the results.

Investing in bio diesel because an alternative investment would make a very good equilibrium to a portfolio, and possesses many additional bonuses; not least the economic dividends and also the rewards it will deliver to the surroundings and to the growers and their local economies.

For more information, check out Investing in bio diesel and also Alternative Investments

Source: http://www.articlepodcat.com/2012/01/22/investing-in-bio-diesel-add-to-an-enviromentally-friendly-world-as-well-as-make-money/

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Hamas: Leader Khaled Mashaal won't seek new term (AP)

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip ? The Islamic militant group Hamas says in a statement that their chief, Khaled Mashaal, won't seek re-election.

The Palestinian group urges him to reconsider his decision, saying the issue of who leads the decades-old militant movement should be left to Hamas institutions. Hamas says the decision shouldn't be made by one person ? even its leader.

The group issued the statement Saturday to reporters via e-mail.

Mashaal, who is based in Damascus, was not immediately available for comment.

It is not clear when Hamas would conduct new, internal elections. The militant group elects leaders through a body it calls the Shura Council.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_palestinians

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Giants' Ballard questionable, expects to play

New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard flips the ball during NFL football practice, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers in the NFC championship game on Sunday, Jan. 22. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard flips the ball during NFL football practice, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers in the NFC championship game on Sunday, Jan. 22. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard throws a pass during NFL football practice, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers in the NFC championship game on Sunday, Jan. 22. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) ? Jake Ballard's right knee is bothering him a bit. Not enough, though, to keep him out of a game this big.

The New York Giants' tight end was listed as questionable Friday for the NFC championship game at San Francisco after having a "little procedure" on his right knee Thursday night and sitting out practice.

"I'm not concerned," said Ballard, who experienced some swelling. "I just saw the doctor a little bit last night and they performed the procedure. I'll be ready to go. They just pulled me out just to rest me for the day."

Neither Ballard nor coach Tom Coughlin would discuss what was done to the knee, but Coughlin said it was "not surgery."

"The knee was a little sore today and I should be ready to go for the game," Ballard said.

Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was limited in practice after tweaking an ankle, but said he'll be fine. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) returned to practice, but was limited. No surprise there, though, since he has practiced just once a week since the injury in early December.

Center David Baas missed practice because of a stomach illness, similar to the one that sidelined quarterback Eli Manning for a day earlier this week. He's expected to be fine in time for the game.

Ballard missed the last two games of the regular season after injuring the posterior cruciate ligament in the knee against Washington on Dec. 18, but returned for the postseason. He had one catch for 17 yards at Green Bay, and two for 16 in the opening round against Atlanta.

The second-year tight end from Ohio State had 38 catches for 604 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season.

"The PCL is not going to heal overnight," Ballard said. "It's usually six or seven weeks where you don't feel it anymore, and it's only been about four maybe."

Travis Beckum said he'd be ready to start if Ballard can't, but doesn't anticipate that. In fact, Beckum made light of the procedure, trading his shoulder pads for a scalpel.

"I diagnosed him with a torn ACL, but he'll be back," Beckum said. "I gave him some stuff and he'll be back tomorrow."

Ummm, Travis, what was your major in college?

"Street pharmacy," Beckum said with a smile. "I used a butter knife. He has really thin skin."

For the record, Beckum majored in human development and family studies at the University of Wisconsin.

"Yeah, it was emergency surgery last night," Ballard said, smiling. "If I was missing a leg, that's probably what it would take to keep me off the field."

Nicks, who has 13 catches for 280 yards and four touchdowns in the Giants' two playoff games, was hurt while cutting during a route in practice.

"It just kind of gave out on me, but it should be all right, though," he said. "I've got no reason to be concerned about it. It's an important game. I'll put it out of my mind and not even think about it."

Nicks said he'll "and wrap it up real good" and be ready to go.

Defensive ends Justin Tuck (shoulder) and Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee), cornerback Corey Webster (hamstring) and linebacker Mark Herzlich (ankle) were all limited, but listed as probable for the game.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-20-Giants-Injuries/id-8b3463765d274da7875e7d6e03893d3e

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PFT: Saints to have Spagnuolo run defense

AP

Who?s the greatest coach in NFL history? Any answer would have to consider the likes of Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown, George Halas, Don Shula, Bill Walsh and Chuck Noll. But Patriots owner Robert Kraft says his coach has them all beat.

Kraft said today that he believes Patriots coach Bill Belichick will be remembered as the best coach the league has ever seen.

?I think he?ll go down as the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, because he?s really competing in the era of the salary cap,? Kraft said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. ?When I bought the team, it was the beginning of the salary cap, and I think a lot of great coaches had difficulty understanding how to balance the economics of the game and the budgets. His product knowledge is so great.?

Kraft raises an interesting point about the turnover of NFL rosters these days: Belichick is going for his fourth Super Bowl ring, which would tie him with Noll for the most ever, but Noll did it with the Steelers at a time when franchises could keep the nucleus of a great team together for a decade. The Patriots have only three players on this year?s roster ? Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk and Matt Light ? who were with the Patriots when they won the first Super Bowl under Belichick.

In fact, what Belichick has done in building the Patriots dynasty at a time when there really aren?t dynasties in the NFL is so different than what any of those great coaches of the past did that it?s hard to even compare them. But Kraft has a good point when he suggests that Belichick?s achievement surpasses them all, because it comes at a time when it?s harder to build a dynasty than it ever has been before.

?I think we?re privileged to have him as a head coach,? Kraft said. ?I think he has done an outstanding job.?

And if he earns another Super Bowl ring this year, he may have done the most outstanding job that any coach has ever done.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/19/saints-hire-steve-spagnuolo/related/

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Share and receive opinions on the go with Thumb for Android

  

Thumbs up, or thumbs down. It's that simple. The folks at Opinionaided, Inc. have developed an application called Thumb, and what Thumb does is allow you to either seek opinions of others, or share your own opion with them about their image.

Once you launch the application you are given the option to either ask for opinions or to share your opinions, in addition you can also see results and view your own profile all from within one page. If you chose to ask for opinions you can upload a picture, select a category and add some text along with it and then submit it to the masses to view their opinions. If you want to just give opinions you can either give a thumbs up or a thumbs down or remain neutral if you aren't really sure on a particular image. 

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/PhZAQQ-ShgE/story01.htm

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Obama administration rejects Keystone oil pipeline (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The Obama administration on Wednesday rejected the Keystone crude oil pipeline project, a decision welcomed by environmental groups but blasted by the domestic energy industry.

U.S. President Barack Obama said TransCanada's application for the 1,700-mile (2,740-km) pipeline was denied because the State Department did not have enough time to complete the review process.

"This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people," Obama said in a statement.

With environmental groups concerned about carbon emissions from oil sands production, the administration in November delayed a decision on a presidential permit for the project until 2013.

But lawmakers that support the project attached a measure to a tax-cut law passed at the end of last year that set a February deadline for a decision.

(Additional reporting By Timothy Gardner, Jeffrey Jones, Arshad Mohammed; Writing by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by David Gregorio and Russell Blinch)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120118/wl_canada_nm/canada_us_keystone_decision

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Q&A: Russia's Blogger in Chief on the Anti-Putin Movement (Time.com)

Of all of Russia's opposition leaders, none have posed a bigger threat to the government of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin than the blogger and activist Alexei Navalny. A lawyer by training and a nationalist by conviction, Navalny, 35, has been at the forefront of the demonstrations that shook awake the Russian body politic last month, bringing tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets of Moscow for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union. A few days after the third and biggest demonstration on Dec. 24, when Navalny addressed a crowd of 100,000 people in Moscow, TIME's Simon Shuster caught up with him at a courthouse, where he was arguing a case for greater transparency at Russia's largest oil company, Rosneft. He drove back to his office afterward, where he runs a small legal firm, to continue discussing his plans for toppling Putin's government.

Before the recent wave of opposition protests, you were best known as an activist against corruption. But you've said that you had your eye on politics the whole time. How are these two aspects of your work connected?
I've always seen my campaigns against corruption as political work of a purer form than what opposition leaders usually do. All they do is hold roundtables and release political statements, which is all well and good. But there are concrete things that need to get done in order to achieve the basic goal of every opposition politician. That goal is to replace the people in power by putting pressure on the regime. One way to do that is to release political statements and appear on the radio. Another way is to file lawsuits against corrupt state corporations. I take the second approach. And it's very important to carry this through to the end, because my political work needs to always have new substance to it. Everyone needs to understand that my work addresses existing problems, and one of the crucial problems in Russia today is corruption. (See photos of massive protests in Moscow.)

Many observers have been quick to compare last month's demonstrations to the Arab Spring. Is this the way you envision it? Will Moscow have a revolution like the one on Kiev's Maidan Square in 2004? The one on Tahrir Square in Cairo last year? Or something else?
What we need is a peaceful scenario. Both Maidan and Tahrir were peaceful. Maidan was absolutely peaceful, Tahrir saw some unrest but was still peaceful on the whole. At this point, the authorities need to understand that they can prevent a Maidan by meeting our demands. If they don't, then we will continue to see peaceful protests in the streets. This is nothing new. Gandhi did it in his day, as did Martin Luther King. It's a time-tested method. The people come out onto the streets. They don't go fighting anyone or burning cars. They just stand there. Humanity has this historical experience of fighting injustice and tyranny. The way to proceed is by using this experience.

Who or what finally brought Russians out onto the streets after years of political apathy?
The mood of defiance brought them out. This is impossible to organize or orchestrate. I can't organize it because the people don't listen to me. When I worked at Yabloko [a liberal political party, where Navalny was an activist between 2002 and '07], we would try to organize a rally and 500 people showed up. But now there is a wave rising. Some people can claim to stand at the cusp of this wave, and yes, they can stand at the podium and address the crowds. But they didn't make this wave. Putin was the one who made this revolution. By falsifying the elections [on Dec. 4], Putin brought these people onto the streets. If he hadn't rigged the [parliamentary vote on Dec. 4] in Moscow, nothing would have happened. But no, they tried to bust through at the joint and ended up insulting so many people that there was a backlash. The people went into the streets. This is a natural reaction for any person. This has been happening for hundreds and thousands of years. They came out and said, 'That's it. No. We don't want this anymore. We want to do things differently.'

See photos of protests and counterprotests in Russia.

The Kremlin has started offering concessions in response to the protests. For one, it has proposed a law making it easier to register political parties. You've said that you want to create a party of your own. What will be the structure of this party and its political priorities?
Our goal is to make a party that is massive, effective and cheap. The last point is not the least important. We just don't have any money. We need to use new technologies, first of all the Internet, for the practical functions of the party, like a reconstituted Facebook. Many people call it Democracy 2.0. I'm a lobbyist and fanatic of this system. It should allow people to register online and verify their identities through a bank card or by some other means, and then let them take part in [the party's] decisionmaking, voting and so on. This gives a guarantee that everyone votes, that there is no vote rigging, that everything is open and there is legitimacy. This does not mean that the party is virtual and not real. In the present day, the split between the virtual and real worlds is irrelevant. The protest on Bolotnaya Square [on Dec. 10], was it real or virtual? Yes, it was organized by virtual means, on Facebook. But I think it was more than real enough. (Read "Occupy the Kremlin: Russia's Election Lets Loose Public Rage.")

But half of the Russian population does not have Internet access. Would your party just ignore them?
Every party looks for its own constituency. I can rely on people in big cities, where there is plenty of Internet penetration. Of course, I would like to attract people from villages, but I don't have money for that. What we do have already is a pool of millions of people we can reach through the Internet. We can reach them efficiently and on a daily basis. Sure, I would love to go talk to every grandma who lives in some village in the Ryazam region, but I don't have that possibility. You can only reach such people through television, but we don't control the television channels. So it's pointless to even talk about.

Nationalism has always been at the core of your politics. You have called for tight control of immigration, for the right to bear arms, and you have said that the Movement Against Illegal Immigration, a group banned last year for extremism and hate speech, is "as harmless as the girl scouts." Will your party represent these values? Will it be a nationalist party?
Consistency for me is everything. I am not ready to back away from my views. With age, everyone forms certain core principles, and I have a basic stand on the main issues. I only see one problem with my views. Maybe I didn't explain them clearly enough. That means I will keep explaining them, because people aren't afraid of my views. They are afraid of the word nationalism. (Read "Russia: The Revolution Will Be Tweeted and Facebooked and YouTubed.")

By necessity, we have no other way to refer to these views but as nationalism. The problem is that people associate this word with some abstract nationalist menace. But when people talk about the nationalism of Navalny, we're talking about very simple things. I support limits on illegal immigration, including through visa requirements for visitors from Central Asia. When you enter the U.S., you need to give fingerprints. Yes? Yes. Did the U.S. build a wall on the border with Mexico? Yes, it did. And Obama voted for that wall. So how is my position on immigration more nationalistic than even the Democrats in the U.S.? Few American politicians would step out in support of visa-free travel with all of Latin America. But we have a visa-free system with Central Asia. And when it comes to arms control, yes, I think that arms should be more accessible to our citizens. At home I have two rifles, and do I go shooting people out my window? No. We have hundreds of thousands of hunting weapons in circulation, and the number of crimes committed with legally registered guns is minimal, microscopic.

But any crook in the country knows where to buy a gun. You go to Chechnya and buy an automatic for 3,000 rubles. This agenda is not even part of the radical right. It is a standard position, often held for instance in the U.S. mainstream. I wouldn't say this is a populist position at all. More likely the majority of citizens would not support it. And when it comes to the [Movement Against Illegal Immigration], I'm not saying they're sweet guys. I'm saying they are all different. They are marginals because they have been pushed underground. But if they are the ones talking about illegal immigration, our goal is to make sure illegal immigration is not only discussed in the radical underground, but in the political mainstream. Our goal is to bring this discussion out of the context of beating the crap out of the all the immigrants and into the framework of imposing visas, ensuring that [immigrants] have insurance, ensuring they are paid a minimum wage, and everything else that exist in other countries.

See TIME's Russia covers.

The movement you are helping to lead poses a serious threat to the people in power. Moreover, you have said that you want to put Putin and his circle on trial if they are deposed. If push comes to shove, they could respond with force to defend their authority. Are you ready for bloodshed if that's the direction it goes?
Do I want bloodshed? No, I don't. But am I ready for the possibility that force will be used against us? Yes, I am ready. Any politician who fights with our corrupt regime needs to be ready for that. If he's not ready, he's got no place here. The battle here has certain terms. [The state] opened a criminal case against me a year and a half ago. I knew this would happen, and it happened. I knew they could arrest me for 15 days at a protest, and they did [on Dec. 5]. But that's part of life. We are in a political situation where a person can be put in jail for nothing. So that's what we're fighting against. And the fact is, you shouldn't go walking in the woods if you're afraid of the wolves. (See how corruption and abuse of power are threatening Russia's economy.)

But in your speeches to the crowds last month, you took a very provocative tone, as if to goad the authorities. You said from the podium that you would "chew through the throats of those animals," referring to Putin's United Russia party, which you call "the party of crooks and thieves." You said that the protesters are ready to "take the Kremlin now." Why do you say this if you want a peaceful scenario?
I say this because it's true -- we can take the Kremlin now. But we're not going to because we're a peaceful people. We simply have to demonstrate our strength. Everything we're doing amounts to nothing without posing a potential threat. These people who gathered are totally peaceful, they don't want a fight. But potentially, if their rights are ignored, they can do a lot. And that threat is the driving force of reform. If [the authorities] understand that people are gathering just to make political demands, to take part in flash mobs and take pictures with each other, they'll say, 'Big deal. So a few thousand of them got together and took pictures arm-in-arm.' But who's afraid of them? Nobody. So we need to make clear that these people came out because the government doesn't work anymore. They demand change and they will continue to demand it. We need to make clear that there is a palpable threat. It exists. We can take the Kremlin now.

Your favorite political weapon has always been the Internet. Why did you choose this approach?
Well, this all came out of necessity. It wasn't that we were so tricky that we came up with the Internet. It's that the Internet is all we have. The only difference is some politicians were inclined to evolution, and others weren't. Those [others] couldn't adapt to the Internet. They kept saying, 'We demand access to television. Give us one hour of airtime, and we'll change everything.' But anything less than television wasn't good enough for them. I had a different approach. I understood that I'll never be on television. Nobody will give me airtime. I have no money. I have no oligarch friends, and don't have any particular desire to make oligarch friends. So the only thing I had to count on were my concrete abilities, like the North Korean motto: Rely only on yourself. And I developed my own methods. I did what I could. I started filing lawsuits [against state corporations] and telling people about it online. This all looked marginal and funny. But with time my audience grew. And now my blog has more readers than most newspapers have. There are 1.5 million unique views on my blog per month. It just grew over time. And it grew mostly because of the fact that there is no freedom of information. People don't get free and objective information. So they go to find it on the Internet. If the things I write in my blog were to be said on television and written about in the broadsheets, then nobody would need me or the Internet. But you can't say these things on television, so when I began saying them on the Internet, I had a sort of exclusive. And when people went online to find some information, they came to hear my exclusive. This was the only free place for discussion and information available. (See the top 10 Twitter controversies.)

Still, this online community has stayed online until only the past month or so, when they started attending street protests en masse. You have explained this shift as something called the 76-82 effect, referring to the Russians born, like yourself, between 1976 and 1982. Can you explain this theory?
This is the Moscow baby boom. And it has come of age. Actually, the name 76-82 comes from an insanely popular community on Livejournal [Russia's most popular blogging site], called 76-82, where people write about memories that they share with people from this generation. Things like, I don't know, chewing gum, movies, the Communist youth camps of a very particular sort, at the end of the Soviet Union, in the late '70s and '80s, where the kids were still technically [Communist Young] Pioneers, but nobody really believed in the [Soviet] system anymore. There are tons of these people. They are the biggest generation of working-age Russians, and they got stuck somewhere between the Soviet Union and modern-day Russia.

They are now taking up more and more positions in society and have developed firm political views. A huge number of these people have now had the opportunity to travel, to go to the Czech Republic, to Germany, wherever, and to realize that we could live this way too. So they start asking themselves, Why can't we live like they do? What's the reason? There is no objective reason. On the contrary, there are reasons why we should live even better. But we don't. People don't like this. So for this generation, the anti-American and anti-Western rhetoric doesn't work nearly as well as for the rest. The main thing that Putin and his gang maniacally use to fight the opposition is that we are all some kind of American-funded monsters. But people understand that this is a load of crap. Sure, Americans have their interests. But the people of this generation, they understand that our existence is not defined as a conflict between East and West.

Read "Twenty Years After Independence, Russia Is in No Mood to Party."

Some pundits, supporters and even random people on the street have started calling you Russia's next President. How do you react to this kind of excitement around you? Is it justified?
When the opposition parties were voted out of the State Duma [Russia's lower house of parliament] in the 2003 elections, it created a situation where it was impossible to judge who is popular. This process of comparing pricks at the ballot box is usually done, in a healthy society, through elections. But we haven't had competitive elections in Russia in years. Since 2003 I've watched various attempts to choose some opposition leader who can pose a challenge to Putin. But they couldn't choose one, because there is no mechanism. They use subjective criteria. They say, 'Well, I used to be a minister. I used to be a Prime Minister. I'm loved by the intellectuals.' But this is pointless. I've long said that we need to hold some kind of primaries, where the opposition leaders can decide who among them really has the mandate of the people. At the same time, a lot of [other opposition leaders] don't like the Navalny cult of personality. There's a lot of buzz around me right now, mostly because the political playing field has been stomped flat over the past 10 years. I don't like that myself, because it's impossible to always be this Internet hero. Everyone loving you can change quickly into everyone demanding that you make miracles, and when you don't, their love quickly turns to hate. (See photos of a country house in the former Soviet Union.)

Your oratory style has not done a lot to ease the concerns of many in the liberal opposition that you are a right-wing fanatic. Why do you continue to speak that way every time you take the stage?
I don't know if I even have an oratory style. It's more like loud screaming into a microphone. I never studied it, and that's the only way I know how to do it. But it's true, suddenly [the pundit] Maxim Sokolov goes writing that this is how Hitler addressed the crowd. Well, what can I say? I know some people got scared. Sure, I screamed loud. I got too emotional, but what can I say? I really hate the people in power. I hate them with every fiber of my being. That's what drives me in almost everything I do. And I don't see any need to hide that. So I scream.

See TIME's top 10 everything of 2011.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20120118/wl_time/08599210444500

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Romney says he may release tax returns in April

Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, right, speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, listens Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidateTexas Gov. Rick Perry speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) ? Mitt Romney's four remaining challengers are keeping the spotlight on the Republican front-runner's wealth and business dealings by pressing him to release his income tax returns. Romney says he might make them public in April. By then, he hopes to have the presidential nomination in the bag.

His rivals did their best to knock the former Massachusetts governor off stride in a contentious debate Monday night, going after him on several fronts. Romney didn't bend under heavy pressure on the issue of his job-creation record at his former private equity firm Bain Capital, nor did he apologize for his evolving views on abortion. Blamed for negative commercials flooding South Carolina's airwaves, he stressed the independence of the super PACs that have been running ads in his behalf against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and other rivals, including former Sen. Rick Santorum.

Romney said that while he might be willing to release his tax returns, he wouldn't do so until tax filing time. The multimillionaire former businessman didn't get much gratitude from his rivals, who want him to release the information in time to influence South Carolina voters going to the polls on Saturday.

Gingrich was quick to suggest Romney wouldn't delay for months if he had nothing to hide and that his hesitation wouldn't sit well with voters. "Last night weakened him," Gingrich told "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday.

Romney seemed hesitant when confronted with the tax issue on stage. He at first sidestepped calls from his rivals to release his returns, then said later that he'd follow the lead of previous presidential candidates.

"I have nothing in them that suggests there's any problem and I'm happy to do so," he said. "I sort of feel like we're showing a lot of exposure at this point," he added.

Monday's night's debate was as fiery as any of the more than dozen that preceded it. Romney, the clear front-runner for the GOP nomination after back-to-back wins in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, was under fire not only from Gingrich and Santorum, but also from Rick Perry and Ron Paul.

The five will meet again in debate in Charleston Thursday night, the last time they will share a stage before the primary two days later.

The first Southern primary could prove decisive in the volatile contest. Gingrich has virtually conceded that a victory for Romney in South Carolina would assure his nomination as Democratic President Barack Obama's Republican rival in the fall, and none of the other remaining contenders has challenged that conclusion.

That only elevated the stakes for Monday night's debate, where the attacks on Romney often were couched in anti-Obama rhetoric.

"We need to satisfy the country that whoever we nominate has a record that can stand up to Barack Obama in a very effective way," said Gingrich.

The five men on stage also sought to outdo one another in calling for lower taxes. Texas Rep. Ron Paul won that competition handily, saying he thought the top personal tax rate should be zero.

In South Carolina, a state with a heavy military presence, the tone turned muscular at times.

Gingrich drew strong applause when he said: "Andrew Jackson had a pretty clear idea about America's enemies. Kill them."

Perry also won favor from the crowd when he said the Obama administration had overreacted in its criticism of the Marines who were videotaped urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Gingrich and Perry led the assault against Romney's record at Bain Capital, a private equity firm that bought companies and sought to remake them into more competitive enterprises, with uneven results.

"There was a pattern in some companies ... of leaving them with enormous debt and then within a year or two or three having them go broke," Gingrich said. "I think that's something he ought to answer."

Perry referred to a steel mill in Georgetown, S.C. where, he said, "Bain swept in, they picked that company over and a lot of people lost jobs there."

Romney said the steel industry was battered by unfair competition from China. As for other firms, he said, "Four of the companies that we invested in ... ended up today having some 120,000 jobs." And he acknowledged, "Some of the businesses we invested in were not successful and lost jobs."

It was Perry who challenged Romney to release his income tax returns. The Texas governor said he has already done so, and Gingrich has said he will do likewise later in the week.

"Mitt, we need for you to release your income tax so the people of this country can see how you made your money. ... We cannot fire our nominee in September. We need to know now," Perry said.

Later, a debate moderator pressed Romney on releasing his tax returns. His response meandered.

"If that's been the tradition I'm not opposed to doing that," Romney said. "Time will tell. But I anticipate that most likely I'm going to get asked to do that in the April time period and I'll keep that open."

Prodded again, he said, "If I become our nominee ... what's happened in history is people have released them in about April of the coming year, and that's probably what I'd do."

April is long after the South Carolina primary and the Republican nomination could easily be all but decided by then, following Super Tuesday contests around the country in March.

Santorum stayed away from the clash over taxes, instead launching a dispute of his own. He said a campaign group supporting Romney has been attacking him for supporting voter rights for convicted felons, and asked Romney what his position was on the issue.

Romney initially ducked a direct answer, preferring to ask Santorum if the ad was accurate.

He then said he doesn't believe convicted violent felons should have the right to vote, even after serving their terms. Santorum instantly said that as governor of Massachusetts, Romney hadn't made any attempt to change a law that permitted convicted felons to vote while still on parole, a law the former Pennsylvania senator said was more liberal than the one he has been assailed for supporting.

Romney replied that as a Republican governor, he was confronted with a legislature that was heavily Democratic and held a different position.

He also reminded Santorum that candidates have no control over the campaign groups that have played a pivotal role in the race to date.

"It is inaccurate," Santorum said of the ad assailing him. "I would go out and say: 'Stop it. That you're representing me and you're representing my campaign. Stop it.'"

That issue returned more than an hour later, when Gingrich said he too has faced false attacks from the same group that is criticizing Santorum. He noted that Romney says he lacks sway over the group, "which makes you wonder how much influence he would have if he were president."

Romney said he hoped no group would run inaccurate ads, and he said the organization backing Gingrich was airing a commercial that is so false that "it's probably the biggest hoax since Bigfoot."

He called for scuttling the current system of campaign finance laws to permit individuals to donate as much money as they want to the candidates of their choice.

Noting that the debate was occurring on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one moderator asked Gingrich if his previous statements about poor children lacking a work ethic were "insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans."

"No," Gingrich said emphatically, adding his aim was to break dependence on government programs. "I'm going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn to get a better job and learn someday to own the job," he said.

Romney is the leader in the public opinion polls in South Carolina, although his rivals hope the state's 9.9 percent unemployment rate and the presence of large numbers of socially conservative evangelical voters will allow one of them to slip by him.

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Associated Press writer Dave Espo contributed to this report.

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Follow Shannon McCaffrey at www.twitter.com/smccaffrey13

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-17-GOP%20Campaign/id-22e5767a061141c785a9b29dbe21664e

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