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New blog post: Cameroon in London: African Football Kits for London 2012 Olympic Games blog.visitlondon.com/2011/12/camero?Il y a environ 4 heuresvia VisitLondon BlogRetweeted by 2 people
U.S. Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta, left, during his meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Abd al-Raheem Al-Keeb, right, in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Dec., 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
U.S. Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta, left, during his meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Abd al-Raheem Al-Keeb, right, in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Dec., 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
U.S. Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta greets members of the Libyan delegation on the tarmac during his arrival in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Dec., 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
U.S. Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta greets members of the Libyan delegation on the tarmac during his arrival in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Dec., 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
U.S. Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta, left, is presented with a gift during his meeting with Libyan Minister of Defense Usama al-Jwayli, right, in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
U.S. Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta is greeted by Ambassador Gene Crets during his arrival in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Dec., 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) ? Pentagon chief Leon Panetta made history Saturday as the first American defense secretary to set foot on Libyan soil and said he hoped the post-Moammar Gadhafi government could assemble the country's militias into "one Libya."
Panetta has indicated that the U.S. will give the Libyans some time to gain control of the militias that overthrew Gadhafi during an eight-month civil war before determining how to help the fledgling government.
At a news conference in the capital with Prime Minister Abd al-Raheem al-Keeb, Panetta said that he was confident that the new Libyan government is reaching out to all groups and would bring them together as part of "one Libya."
Panetta, who was joined by Gen. Carter Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command, said the United States would provide whatever assistance the Libyans needed.
The prime minister told reporters that he was optimistic that the new government in Tripoli could deal the militias.
Panetta's route into the city took him past lush orange groves, carcasses of bombed buildings and the charred and graffiti-covered compound once occupied by Gadhafi.
Flying from rooftops were the green, black and red flags, adorned with a star and a crescent, belonging to the new government. Amid the Arabic graffiti splashed across the walls of the compound was a short comment in English: "Thanx US/UK."
Panetta also made an emotional visit to what historians believe is the gravesite of 13 U.S. sailors killed in 1804. Those deaths were caused by the explosion of the U.S.S, Intrepid, which was destroyed while slipping into the Tripoli harbor to attack pirate ships that had captured an American frigate.
Panetta walked into the small walled cemetery with more than two dozen gravestones and made his way to a corner where five large but simple white gravestones mark the graves of the American sailors. The stones read, "Here lies an American sailor who gave his life in the explosion of the United States Ship Intrepid in Tripoli Harbour, Sept. 4, 1804."
Panetta placed a wreath at the site and then observed a moment of silence. He also left behind a memento of his visit on top of one of the stones, a U.S. secretary of defense souvenir coin.
While eager to encourage a new democracy that emerged from Libya's Arab Spring revolution, the U.S. is wary of appearing as trying to exert too much influence after an eight-month civil war.
At the same time, however, leaders in the U.S. and elsewhere worry about how well the newly formed National Transitional Council can resolve clashes between militia groups in the North African nation.
Ahead of Panetta's visit, the Obama administration announced it had lifted penalties that were imposed on Libya in February to choke off Gadhafi's financial resources while his government was using violence to suppress peaceful protests.
The U.S. at the time blocked some $37 billion in Libyan assets, and a White House statement said Friday's action "unfreezes all government and central bank funds within U.S. jurisdiction, with limited exceptions."
Recovery of the assets "will allow the Libyan government to access most of its worldwide holdings and will help the new government oversee the country's transition and reconstruction in a responsible manner," the White House said.
But the continuing violence in Libya, including recent skirmishes between revolutionary fighters and national army troops near Tripoli's airport, reflects the difficulties that Libya's leaders face as they try to forge an army, integrating some of the militias and disarming the rest.
Officials acknowledge that process could take months, and that they can't force the militias to go along.
By traveling to Libya, Panetta was highlighting the different approaches that the U.S. and other countries are taking with respect to rebellions in the region against tyrannical leaders.
The U.S. and NATO provided months of military power and assistance to the Libyan rebels, but officials have made it clear they do not intend to do the same in Syria despite the furor over President Bashar Assad's crackdown on pro-reform demonstrators.
Panetta, who met with Turkish officials Friday, said they did not discuss any specific steps to increase pressure on Assad to step down.
But they talked about the need to work together with other nations to "get Assad to do the right thing."
At some point, he said, he believes that the type of uprisings that happened in Libya and elsewhere across the Middle East will take place in Syria.
New Research Demonstrates Lean Beef is Good for Heart HealthPublic release date: 15-Dec-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Julie Sodano
jsodano@beef.org
303-850-3376
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Stephen McCauley
Stephen.Mccauley@porternovelli.com
202-973-3615
Porter Novelli
As part of a heart-healthy diet, eating lean beef daily can help lower cholesterol
Centennial, CO (Dec. 15, 2011) A new study published in the January 2012 edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that beef can play a role in a cholesterol-lowering diet, despite commonly held beliefs. The study found that diets including lean beef every day are as effective in lowering total and LDL "bad" cholesterol as the "gold standard" of heart-healthy diets (DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) clinical study (Effects on Lipids, Lipoproteins and Apolipoproteins),1 conducted by The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) researchers, evaluated adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, measuring the impact of diets including varying amounts of lean beef on total and LDL cholesterol levels. Study participants experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study, while consuming diets containing 4.0 and 5.4 oz. of lean beef daily.
"This research sheds new light on evidence supporting lean beef's role in a heart-healthy diet. Study participants ate lean beef every day and still met targets for saturated fat intake," says Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at PSU and the study's principal investigator. "This study shows that nutrient-rich lean beef can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet that improves risk factors for cardiovascular disease."
The Research
The study used a rigorously designed Randomized Controlled Clinical Intervention Study to investigate the effects of cholesterol-lowering diets with varying amounts of lean beef. Thirty-six participants (adults ages 30-65 with moderately elevated cholesterol) were randomly assigned to a treatment order and consumed a total of four diets for five weeks each. The cross-over design allowed each participant to serve as his or her own control, reducing any errors associated with biological variation.
The four diets tested in the study were: Healthy American Diet (HAD) as control; Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH); Beef in Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD); and Beef in Optimal Lean Diet Plus (BOLD-PLUS). Although BOLD and DASH diets were both rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, the diets differed in their primary protein source. The BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diet's primary protein source came from lean beef while DASH and HAD included white meat and plant protein. The BOLD diet included an average of 4.0 oz/day of lean beef and the BOLD-PLUS diet included 5.4 oz/day of lean beef, while the HAD and DASH diets included 0.7 and 1.0 oz/day of lean beef, respectively. Many of the BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diet menu plans incorporated recipes from The Healthy Beef Cookbook.
Details on each of the dietary interventions are as follows:
HAD
2,097 calories, 17% of calories from protein, 50% of calories from carbohydrate, 33% of calories from fat, 12% of calories from saturated fat, 0.7 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
DASH
2,106 calories, 18% of calories from protein, 55% of calories from carbohydrate, 27% of calories from fat, 6% of calories from saturated fat, 1.0 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
BOLD
2,100 calories, 19% of calories from protein, 54% of calories from carbohydrate, 28% of calories from fat, 6% of calories from saturated fat, 4.0 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
BOLD-PLUS
2,104 calories, 27% of calories from protein, 45% of calories from carbohydrate, 28% of calories from fat, 6% of calories from saturated fat, 5.4 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
Research Findings
After five weeks, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the participants were significantly reduced in the BOLD, BOLD-PLUS and DASH diets compared to the HAD diet.
Overall, participants following the BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diets experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study. The improvements in heart health risk factors seen from the BOLD diets were as effective as those from the DASH and other heart-healthy diets, many of which emphasize plant proteins.
This study adds to the body of evidence regarding lean beef in a heart-healthy diet, including a recent review of 20 epidemiological studies encompassing more than one million subjects concluding that red meat intake does not increase risk of heart disease.2
"This research adds to the body of evidence concluding that you can include beef in your diet every day and get heart-health benefits," says Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, executive director, human nutrition research for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which contracts to manage programs for the beef checkoff. "Americans now have more scientific evidence for including lean beef in a heart-healthy diet."
Many of the most popular beef cuts, such as Top Sirloin steak, Tenderloin, T-Bone steak and 95% lean Ground Beef meet government guidelines for lean. In fact, sixty-five percent of all beef muscle cuts available in grocery stores are lean.3,4 On average, a 3 oz. serving of lean beef is about 150 calories, an excellent source of six nutrients (protein, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin and selenium) and a good source of four nutrients (phosphorous, choline, iron and riboflavin).4
###
To access this study, please click here. For nutrition information, a fact sheet on this study or recipes featuring lean beef, visit http://www.BeefItsWhatsforDinner.com.
About The Beef Checkoff Program
The Beef Checkoff Program (http://www.MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
About the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is a contractor to the national Beef Checkoff Program, which is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Board. Consumer-focused and producer-directed, NCBA and its state beef council partners work together as a marketing organization on behalf of the largest segment of the food and fiber industry.
1. Roussell MA, Hill AM, Gaugler TL, West SG, Vanden Heuvel JP, Alaupovic P, Gillies PJ, Kris-Etherton PM. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 95(1).Internet: [http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2011/12/13/ajcn.111.016261.full.pdf+html] (accessed 14 December 2011).
2. Micha R, Wallace SK, Mozaffarian D. Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation. 2010; 121:2271-2283.
3. Fresh Look Marketing Group, Total US Beef, 52 weeks ending 9/25/2011.
4. USDA, ARS. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page,
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New Research Demonstrates Lean Beef is Good for Heart HealthPublic release date: 15-Dec-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Julie Sodano
jsodano@beef.org
303-850-3376
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Stephen McCauley
Stephen.Mccauley@porternovelli.com
202-973-3615
Porter Novelli
As part of a heart-healthy diet, eating lean beef daily can help lower cholesterol
Centennial, CO (Dec. 15, 2011) A new study published in the January 2012 edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that beef can play a role in a cholesterol-lowering diet, despite commonly held beliefs. The study found that diets including lean beef every day are as effective in lowering total and LDL "bad" cholesterol as the "gold standard" of heart-healthy diets (DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) clinical study (Effects on Lipids, Lipoproteins and Apolipoproteins),1 conducted by The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) researchers, evaluated adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, measuring the impact of diets including varying amounts of lean beef on total and LDL cholesterol levels. Study participants experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study, while consuming diets containing 4.0 and 5.4 oz. of lean beef daily.
"This research sheds new light on evidence supporting lean beef's role in a heart-healthy diet. Study participants ate lean beef every day and still met targets for saturated fat intake," says Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at PSU and the study's principal investigator. "This study shows that nutrient-rich lean beef can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet that improves risk factors for cardiovascular disease."
The Research
The study used a rigorously designed Randomized Controlled Clinical Intervention Study to investigate the effects of cholesterol-lowering diets with varying amounts of lean beef. Thirty-six participants (adults ages 30-65 with moderately elevated cholesterol) were randomly assigned to a treatment order and consumed a total of four diets for five weeks each. The cross-over design allowed each participant to serve as his or her own control, reducing any errors associated with biological variation.
The four diets tested in the study were: Healthy American Diet (HAD) as control; Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH); Beef in Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD); and Beef in Optimal Lean Diet Plus (BOLD-PLUS). Although BOLD and DASH diets were both rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, the diets differed in their primary protein source. The BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diet's primary protein source came from lean beef while DASH and HAD included white meat and plant protein. The BOLD diet included an average of 4.0 oz/day of lean beef and the BOLD-PLUS diet included 5.4 oz/day of lean beef, while the HAD and DASH diets included 0.7 and 1.0 oz/day of lean beef, respectively. Many of the BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diet menu plans incorporated recipes from The Healthy Beef Cookbook.
Details on each of the dietary interventions are as follows:
HAD
2,097 calories, 17% of calories from protein, 50% of calories from carbohydrate, 33% of calories from fat, 12% of calories from saturated fat, 0.7 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
DASH
2,106 calories, 18% of calories from protein, 55% of calories from carbohydrate, 27% of calories from fat, 6% of calories from saturated fat, 1.0 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
BOLD
2,100 calories, 19% of calories from protein, 54% of calories from carbohydrate, 28% of calories from fat, 6% of calories from saturated fat, 4.0 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
BOLD-PLUS
2,104 calories, 27% of calories from protein, 45% of calories from carbohydrate, 28% of calories from fat, 6% of calories from saturated fat, 5.4 oz/day lean beef (weight before cooking)
Research Findings
After five weeks, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the participants were significantly reduced in the BOLD, BOLD-PLUS and DASH diets compared to the HAD diet.
Overall, participants following the BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diets experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study. The improvements in heart health risk factors seen from the BOLD diets were as effective as those from the DASH and other heart-healthy diets, many of which emphasize plant proteins.
This study adds to the body of evidence regarding lean beef in a heart-healthy diet, including a recent review of 20 epidemiological studies encompassing more than one million subjects concluding that red meat intake does not increase risk of heart disease.2
"This research adds to the body of evidence concluding that you can include beef in your diet every day and get heart-health benefits," says Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, executive director, human nutrition research for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which contracts to manage programs for the beef checkoff. "Americans now have more scientific evidence for including lean beef in a heart-healthy diet."
Many of the most popular beef cuts, such as Top Sirloin steak, Tenderloin, T-Bone steak and 95% lean Ground Beef meet government guidelines for lean. In fact, sixty-five percent of all beef muscle cuts available in grocery stores are lean.3,4 On average, a 3 oz. serving of lean beef is about 150 calories, an excellent source of six nutrients (protein, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin and selenium) and a good source of four nutrients (phosphorous, choline, iron and riboflavin).4
###
To access this study, please click here. For nutrition information, a fact sheet on this study or recipes featuring lean beef, visit http://www.BeefItsWhatsforDinner.com.
About The Beef Checkoff Program
The Beef Checkoff Program (http://www.MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
About the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is a contractor to the national Beef Checkoff Program, which is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Board. Consumer-focused and producer-directed, NCBA and its state beef council partners work together as a marketing organization on behalf of the largest segment of the food and fiber industry.
1. Roussell MA, Hill AM, Gaugler TL, West SG, Vanden Heuvel JP, Alaupovic P, Gillies PJ, Kris-Etherton PM. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 95(1).Internet: [http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2011/12/13/ajcn.111.016261.full.pdf+html] (accessed 14 December 2011).
2. Micha R, Wallace SK, Mozaffarian D. Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation. 2010; 121:2271-2283.
3. Fresh Look Marketing Group, Total US Beef, 52 weeks ending 9/25/2011.
4. USDA, ARS. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page,
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Fox 5 Atlanta, the news outlet that broke the story of Ginger White's alleged 13-year affair with Herman Cain last week, is reporting that Cain will endorse former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich today.
Gingrich and Cain are close friends, and the endorsement would not come as a shock ? they spoke on Saturday before Cain announced that he was suspending his campaign.?Gingrich is scheduled to be in New York on a fundraising tour on Monday, when he is also slated to meet Donald Trump.
A spokesman for the Gingrich campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.
UPDATE 10:31PM:?@Lindsey_CBSNJ tweets: "At risk of setting off another series of mixed messages from these people, Cain's camp tells me there's nothing to report he'll endorse tmrw"
UPDATE 8:03AM:?Fox 5 Atlanta is standing by its report, noting that Gingrich added a?2 p.m. press conference to his schedule today.
NEW YORK ? The musical based on the Academy Award-winning film "Once" is falling slowly onto Broadway.
Producers announced Tuesday that the show, which has been playing downtown at New York Theatre Workshop, will play Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre this spring. The musical ends its off-Broadway run Jan. 15.
"Once" features music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who won the 2008 best original song Oscar for "Falling Slowly."
The film and musical tell the story of an Irish street musician who falls for a Czech flower-seller in Dublin. The book is by Enda Walsh.
Broadway previews will begin Feb. 28 with an opening night set for March 18. It stars Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti.
The film was made for just $150,000 and grossed $20 million worldwide.
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria ? Gunmen from a radical Muslim sect raided a town in northern Nigeria early Sunday morning, bombing police stations and robbing banks in an attack that killed at least six people, authorities said.
The attack in Azare in Bauchi state mirrored other recent attacks by the sect known as Boko Haram, showing their ability to strike at will in Nigeria's Muslim north. The attack also shows the group remains focused on raising cash for future attacks in the oil-rich nation.
Sect members bombed two police stations in the city and robbed local branches for bank chains Guaranty Trust Bank PLC and Intercontinental Bank PLC, Bauchi police commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba said. One police officer, one soldier and four civilians were killed during the five-hour attack, he said.
"We did not make any arrest, as investigations are still being carried out," Aduba said.
Aduba blamed Boko Haram for the attack, saying the assault Sunday mirrored attacks its members have carried out in recent weeks. The group has launched a series of bombings against Nigeria's weak central government over the last year in its campaign to implement strict Shariah law across the nation of more than 160 million people home to both Christians and Muslims.
Boko Haram claimed responsibility for a Nov. 4 attack on Damaturu, Yobe state's capital, that killed more than 100 people. The group also claimed the Aug. 24 suicide car bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Nigeria's capital that killed 24 people and wounded 116 others.
Little is known about the sources of Boko Haram's support, though its members recently began carrying out a wave of bank robberies in the north. Police stations have also been bombed and officers killed.
Boko Haram has splintered into three factions, with one wing increasingly willing to kill as it maintains contact with terror groups in North Africa and Somalia, diplomats and security sources say.
The sect is responsible for at least 387 killings in Nigeria this year alone, according to an AP count.
___
Associated Press writers Shehu Saulawa in Bauchi, Nigeria and Jon Gambrell in Lagos, Nigeria contributed to this report.
(This version CORRECTS Corrects name of Guaranty Trust Bank.)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks to supporters and volunteers during a rally Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks to supporters and volunteers during a rally Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks at a town hall style event in the Staten Island borough of New York Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011. Gingrich praised GOP presidential rival Herman Cain for bringing optimism and big ideas to the 2012 campaign on Saturday. Polls show that Gingrich's candidacy has surged in recent weeks, with many showing him topping the Republican field. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, left, shakes hands with Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, right, while talking to Florida Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi, second from right, and Oklahoma Atty. Gen. Scott Pruitt after appearing on the Republican Presidential Forum on "Huckabee," the Fox News program hosted by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 in New York. The attorneys general asked questions of six Republican presidential candidates. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michelle Bachmann has her hair tended to in a commercial break during her appearance on the Republican Presidential Forum on "Huckabee," the Fox News program hosted by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
Republican 2012 presidential candidate, Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum at a Toys-for-Tots drive at his headquarters in Bedford, N.H., Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. To some, Santorum appears to be the candidate most likely to engineer a surprise. ?Crisis pregnancy centers are strongly behind Sen. Santorum,? said Karen Floyd, a former South Carolina GOP chairwoman, noting this powerful and wide network of anti-abortion voters who show up on Election Day. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) ? With the implosion of Herman Cain's campaign amid accusations of adultery and sexual harassment, the once-crowded 2012 Republican presidential field appears to be narrowing to a two-man race between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.
GOP voters have one month before the leadoff Iowa caucuses. Gingrich is showing strength in the latest Iowa poll, while Romney is strong in New Hampshire, site of the first primary.
Romney has maintained a political network since his failed 2008 presidential bid, especially in New Hampshire. Gingrich, whose campaign nearly collapsed several months ago, is relying on his debate performances and the good will he built up with some conservatives as a congressional leader in the 1980s and 1990s.
Gingrich's efforts appear to be paying off in Iowa. A Des Moines Register poll released late Saturday found the former House speaker leading the GOP field with 25 percent support, ahead of Ron Paul at 18 percent and Romney at 16.
Cain's suspension of his campaign Saturday, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry's continued struggles to make headway with voters, have focused the party's attention on Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, and Gingrich, a one-time congressman from Georgia. They offer striking contrasts in personality, government experience and campaign organization.
Their political philosophies and differences are a bit harder to discern. Both men have changed their positions on issues such as climate change. And Gingrich, in particular, is known to veer into unusual territories, such as child labor practices.
Romney has said he differs with Gingrich on child labor laws. Gingrich recently suggested that children as young as nine should work as assistant school janitors, to earn money and learn work ethics.
Leading the pack means drawing criticism from those in the rear, such as Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum. Consistently lagging in the polls, Santorum took swipes at both leaders Sunday on ABC's "This Week with Christiane Amanpour".
Gingrich, he said, isn't a strong champion of conservative social values and puts them in "the back of the bus."
"He has never really been an advocate of pushing those issues. Newt is someone who likes to get issues that are 80 to 90 percent in the polls, and 80 percent in the polls are generally not necessarily conservative -- strong conservative issues. But that's how Newt is -- has always tried to govern. And I respect that."
Santorum acknowledged that Romney had become more conservative on issues, but questioned "whether he can be trusted."
"The best indication of what someone is going to do in the future is what they've done in the past," he said.
Cain's announcement in Atlanta offered a possible opening for Romney or Gingrich to make a dramatic move in hopes of seizing momentum for the sprint to the Jan. 3 Iowa caucus. Neither man did. They appear willing to play things carefully and low-key for now.
At a town hall meeting in New York sponsored by tea party supporters, Gingrich declined to characterize the race as a direct contest between himself and Romney. Any of the remaining GOP contenders could stage a comeback before the Iowa caucuses, he said. "I'm not going to say that any of my friends can't suddenly surprise us," Gingrich said.
Paul may be one of those candidates. He said Sunday his discussions of the war and the country's financial condition are resonating with voters in Iowa and New Hampshire. He points to the Iowa poll numbers as a measure of his success and says he also stands to gain from Cain dropping out of the race, and his organization is paying attention to where Cain's supporters might go.
"There are a lot of people who call themselves Tea Party people that did like the independent mindedness of Herman Cain. So I'm optimistic that we'll pick up some votes from there," he said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union".
But once high-flying contenders such as Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota have not managed to bounce back so far, despite weeks of trying.
Bachmann said Sunday she was the "consistent conservative" in the race and her campaign would benefit most from Cain's departure.
"A lot of Herman Cain supporters have been calling our office and they've been coming over to our side," she said, also on CNN. "They saw Herman Cain as an outsider and I think they see that my voice would be the one that would be most reflective of his."
Cain's once-prospering campaign was undone by numerous allegations of sexual wrongdoing.
Gingrich, twice divorced and now married to a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair, has been the most obvious beneficiary of Cain's precipitous slide.
But Perry, Bachmann and possibly others are likely to make a play for Cain's anti-establishment tea party backing. Time is running short for them to establish themselves as the top alternative to Romney, who has long been viewed with suspicion by many conservatives.
For tea party groups, the audit by Richmond, Va., highlights long-running complaints of a double standard in the treatment of activists. The audit also puts a spotlight on free-speech regulations.
Tea party activists in Richmond, Va., watched as liberal Occupy Wall Street protesters paid nothing to use the same park that conservatives paid $8,500 to use for three of its "tax day" rallies. So the tea partyers pushed the issue by demanding a full refund of their fees.
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Instead of a check, the Richmond Tea Party received a letter from the city saying it may have failed to pay taxes on ticket and food sales ? and it should immediately prepare for an audit.
The city denies allegations that the audit warning was some kind of political retaliation or harassment. But for tea party groups, the city missive highlights long-running complaints of a double standard in the treatment of tea party activists.
The spat in Richmond also underscores how a new era of street protests are forcing cities and courts to reassess free-speech regulations. In many cases, they're trying to ensure that heat-of-the-moment decisions don't violate longstanding principles of public assembly and protest ? or favor one set of protesters over another. ? Local assessments of costs, public safety, and health concerns "cannot be a mask for an assault on protesters, either tea party or Occupy, for their viewpoint," says Gene Policinski, executive director of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. "Ultimately, the courts will have to say: Is this [incident and others] truly a content- or viewpoint-neutral circumstance, or is this a hidden tactic to attack one group or another?"
While Occupy protesters say they're being punished by cities for engaging in legal civil disobedience, tea party activists have noted instances of public solidarity with the Occupy protests that suggest different free-speech standards based on political affiliation. Such solidarity has been expressed by mayors like Villaraigosa in Los Angeles and Dwight Jones in Richmond.
Tea party activists say they've paid their way and followed the law. But US taxpayers have had to underwrite a grand total of $13 million in Occupy Wall Street-related expenses since the movement began on Sept. 17, the Associated Press reported recently. By some estimates, Richmond taxpayers paid $7,000 to supply the Occupy protesters with portable toilets and other services during the two weeks they camped at Kanawha Plaza.
City spokeswoman Tammy Hawley told Fox News that allegations of political retaliation "are just completely unfounded." The tea party group, she said, was one of 700 groups and businesses that came up during a review as having paid no excise taxes for admissions, lodging, and meals in 2010.
Richmond tea party activists say they had made it clear to the city that they collected no such revenues during their rallies. ?The Richmond Tea Party stands for constitutional adherence, and clearly this has been unequal treatment under the law,? tea party member Colleen Owens wrote on the Right Side News website. What's more, she wrote, "We challenged the mayor?s unequal treatment between groups and he responds with even more unequal treatment.?
Law scholars have been in disagreement about the extent to which the Occupy encampments are a legitimate free-speech venue. Of course, civil disobedience is a long-honored form of protest, but when it's been practiced through long-term camping in public parks, that's challenged officials and opened them up to charges of preferential treatment. This is despite the fact that, in many of those same places, mayors have ordered riot police to run protesters off.
Complaining about what seemed to be political preference expressed by the mayor of Portland, Ore., for the Occupy movement, Lewis & Clark Law School professor Jim Huffman said recently that the decision to bend the city's no-camping ordinance was "content-related."
"The mayor was so forthcoming in his agreement with their position," Professor Huffman told the Willamette Week website. "The tea party and lots of other groups have?jumped through hoops, applied for the permits, and then done their rallies or whatever they wanted to do."
Courts have already begun to address the sorts of legal challenges to public assembly that haven't been seen since the civil rights and antiwar protests of the 1960s. On Nov. 23, US District Judge Richard Kyle ruled that Occupy protesters in Minneapolis can "assemble any hour of the day," but that local officials can also enforce an overnight-sleeping ban.
?Hence, the parties are going to have to ?learn to live? with one another," Judge Kyle wrote.
What sorts of mysteries does the Samsung Galaxy Nexus hold? Only the folks at iFixit and their trusty screwdrivers know for sure. Thankfully, the site is willing to share. Check out a teardown of one of the year's most eagerly anticipated smartphones. Thrill to the 1.2GHz dual-core processor, marvel to the five megapixel rear-facing camera and be astonished by the NFC antenna in the source link below.
WASHINGTON ? The top GOP aide to a House committee investigating Solyndra Inc. once worked for a lobbying firm that helped the now-bankrupt solar company apply for a half-billion-dollar federal loan.
Gary Andres, staff director of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, was a vice chairman at Dutko Worldwide until last December, when he was appointed to his current post by Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the energy panel. The committee is investigating Solyndra, which received a $528 million Energy Department loan in 2009. The company later went bankrupt and laid off its 1,100 workers.
The Kalamazoo Gazette reported Monday that Solyndra paid Dutko $30,000 in 2008 to handle its application for the federal loan.
Alexa Marrero, a spokeswoman for the committee, said Andres never worked on behalf of Solyndra and was not aware until recently that Dutko had represented Solyndra in 2008.
Marrero said the revelation that Solyndra hired Dutko, now known as Dutko Grayling, does not change the facts of the case.
"Despite serious warning signs from within the (Obama) administration that a federal loan to Solyndra would be a losing proposition, the Department of Energy gave a green light to a half-billion dollar loan to this company, followed by a restructuring that put taxpayers at the back of the line," she said. "Now the committee is asking what went wrong, and what can be done to ensure taxpayers aren't left on the losing end of this kind of bad bet ever again."
John Waltz, a Democrat running for Upton's seat in 2012, said Monday that Upton should have disclosed Dutko's involvement with Solyndra once he became aware of it. Andres should recuse himself from the Solyndra investigation, Waltz said.
ADDS NAME OF CANDIDATE ON POSTER - An Egyptian woman rests in front of campaign posters for Waleed Abou Heissa from the Egyptian Citizen Party outside a polling station on the first day of parliamentary elections in Alexandria, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Shaking off years of political apathy, Egyptians on Monday began voting in their nation's first parliamentary elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a giant step toward what many in the country hope will be a democratic Egypt after decades of dictatorship.(AP Photo/Tarek Fawzy)
ADDS NAME OF CANDIDATE ON POSTER - An Egyptian woman rests in front of campaign posters for Waleed Abou Heissa from the Egyptian Citizen Party outside a polling station on the first day of parliamentary elections in Alexandria, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Shaking off years of political apathy, Egyptians on Monday began voting in their nation's first parliamentary elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a giant step toward what many in the country hope will be a democratic Egypt after decades of dictatorship.(AP Photo/Tarek Fawzy)
Egyptian women wait at a polling station to vote in the country's parliamentary election in the Zamalek neighbourhood of Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Shaking off years of political apathy, Egyptians on Monday began voting in their nation's first parliamentary elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a giant step toward what many in the country hope will be a democratic Egypt after decades of dictatorship.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
An Egyptian army soldier stands guard next to posters of parliamentary candidates on a wall outside a polling center in Assuit, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Voting began on Monday in Egypt's first parliamentary elections since longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising nine months ago. The vote is a milestone many Egyptians hope will usher in a democratic age after decades of dictatorship. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Egyptian voters line up outside a polling center in Assuit, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Voting began on Monday in Egypt's first parliamentary elections since longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising nine months ago. The vote is a milestone many Egyptians hope will usher in a democratic age after decades of dictatorship. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
An Egyptian Army soldier stands guard as voters wait outside a polling center in Assuit, 320 kilometers (200 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Voting began on Monday in Egypt's first parliamentary elections since longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising nine months ago. The vote is a milestone many Egyptians hope will usher in a democratic age after decades of dictatorship. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
CAIRO (AP) ? Shaking off years of political apathy, Egyptians turned out in long lines at voting stations Monday in the first parliamentary elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a giant step toward what they hope will be a democracy after decades of dictatorship.
Some voters brought their children along, saying they wanted them to learn how to exercise their rights in a democracy as they cast ballots in what promises to be the fairest and cleanest election in Egypt in living memory. With fears of violence largely unrealized, the biggest complaint was the hours of standing in long, slow-moving lines.
"If you have waited for 30 years, can't you wait now for another hour?" an army officer yelled at hundreds of restless women at one polling center in Cairo.
After the dramatic, 18-day uprising that ended Mubarak's three decades of authoritarian rule, many had looked forward to this day in expectation of a celebration of freedom. But Mubarak's fall on Feb. 11 was followed by nearly 10 months of military rule, divisions and violence and when election day finally arrived, the mood was markedly different. People were eager to at last cast a free vote, but daunted by all the uncertainty over what happens next.
"I never voted because I was never sure it was for real," said Shahira Ahmed, 45, waiting with her husband and daughter with around 500 other people at a Cairo polling station. "This time, I hope it is, but I am not positive."
Even as they vote, Egyptians are sharply polarized and confused over the nation's direction.
On one level, the election will be a strong indicator of whether Egypt is heading toward Islamism or secularism. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized group, along with other Islamists are expected to dominate in the vote. Many liberals, leftists, Christians and pious Muslims who oppose mixing religion and politics went expressly to the polls to try to stop them or at least reduce their victory.
The U.S. and its close ally Israel, which has a long-standing peace treaty with Egypt, worry that stronger Brotherhood influence could end Egypt's role as a major moderating influence in Middle East politics.
Also weighing heavily on voters' mind was whether this election can really set Egypt on a path of democracy while it is still under military rule. Only 10 days before the elections, major protests erupted around the country demanding the ruling generals accused of bungling the transition step aside and hand power immediately to a civilian authority.
Another concern is that the parliament that emerges may have little relevance because the military is sharply limiting its powers, and it may only serve for several months.
The Egyptian election is the fruit of the Arab Spring revolts that have swept the region over the past year, toppling several authoritarian regimes. In Tunisia and Morocco, Islamic parties have come out winners in elections the past month, but if the much larger Egypt does the same, it could have an even greater impact.
Even before voting began at 8 a.m., people stood in lines stretching several hundred yards outside many polling stations in Cairo, suggesting a respectable turnout. Under heavy security from police and soldiers, segregated lines of men and women grew, snaking around blocks and prompting authorities to extend voting by two hours.
Many said they were voting for the first time. For decades, few Egyptians bothered to cast ballots because nearly every election was rigged, whether by bribery, ballot box stuffing or intimidation by police at the polls. Turnout was often in the single digits.
"I am voting for freedom. We lived in slavery. Now we want justice in freedom," said 50-year-old Iris Nawar at a polling station in Maadi, a Cairo suburb.
"We are afraid of the Muslim Brotherhood. But we lived for 30 years under Mubarak, we will live with them, too," said Nawar, a first-time voter.
Waiting for hours, people joked, squabbled, and bought sandwiches from delivery men taking advantage of an eager, captive market.
Under a heavy rain in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria, a women's line displayed Egypt's religious spectrum ? Christians and Muslims with their hair loose, others in conservative headscarves, still others blanketed in the most radical garb, the black robes that cover a woman's entire body, leaving only the eyes exposed. At a nearby station, one soldier shouted through a megaphone, "Choose freely, choose whomever you want to vote for."
The Brotherhood entered the campaign armed with a powerful network of activists around the country and years of experience in political activity. Even though it was banned under Mubarak's regime, its politicians sat in parliament as independents. Also running is the even more conservative Salafi movement, which advocates a hard-line Saudi Arabian-style interpretation of Islam. While the Brotherhood shows at times a willingness to play politics and compromise in its ideology, many Salafis make no bones about saying democracy must take a back seat to Islamic law.
In contrast, the secular and liberal youth groups that ousted Mubarak failed to capitalize on their astonishing triumph to effectively contest the election. They largely had to create all-new parties from scratch, most of which are not widely known among the public and were plagued by divisions through the past months.
"The Muslim Brotherhood are the people who have stood by us when times were difficult," said Ragya el-Said, a 47-year-old lawyer in Alexandria, a stronghold for the Brotherhood. "We have a lot of confidence in them."
But the Brotherhood faces still opposition. Even some who favor more religion in public life are suspicious of their motives, and the large Christian minority ? about 10 percent of the population of around 85 million ? deeply fear rising Islamism.
"I'm a Muslim but won't vote for any Islamist party because their views are too narrow," said Eman el-Khoury, 53, as she looked disapprovingly at Brotherhood activists handing out campaign leaflets near an Alexandria polling station, a violation of election rules. "How can we change this country when at an opportunity for change, we make the same dirty mistakes."
For many of those who did not want to vote for the Brotherhood or other Islamists, the alternative was not clear.
"I don't know any of the parties or who I'm voting for," Teresa Sobhi, a Christian voter in the southern city of Assiut, said. "I'll vote for the first names I see I guess."
The election is a long and unwieldy process. It will be held in stages divided up by provinces. Voting for 498-seat People's Assembly, parliament's lower chamber, will last until January, then elections for the 390-member upper house will drag on until March.
Each round lasts two days. Some voters said they feared vote rigging or ballot stuffing because the ballot boxes would be left at polling stations overnight.
Monday and Tuesday's vote will take place in nine provinces whose residents account for 24 million of Egypt's estimated 85 million people.
The ballots are a confusing mix of party lists that will gain seats according to proportions of votes and individual candidates ? who will have to enter run-off votes after each round if no one gets 50 percent of the first-round vote. Mixed in are candidates labeled as "farmer" or "worker" who must gain a certain number of seats, a holdover for socialist days that Mubarak's regime manipulated to get in cronies.
Moreover, there are significant questions over how relevant the new parliament will even be. The ruling military council of generals, led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, insists it will maintain considerable powers after the election. It will put together the government and is trying to keep extensive control over the creation of an assembly to write a new constitution, a task that originally was seen as mainly in the parliament's hands.
The protesters who took to Cairo's Tahrir Square and other cities since Nov. 19 in rallies recalling the uprising that ousted Mubarak on Feb. 11 demand the generals surrender power immediately to a civilian government.
Some hoped their vote would help eventually push the generals out.
"We are fed up with the military," said Salah Radwan, waiting outside a polling center in Cairo's middle-class Abdeen neighborhood. "They should go to protect our borders and leave us to rule ourselves. Even if we don't get it right this time, we will get it right next time."
On Monday morning in Tahrir, a relatively small crowd of a few thousand kept the round-the-clock protests going. Clashes during the protests left more than 40 dead and had heightened fears of violence at polling stations.
Turnout among the estimated 50 million voters will play a key role. A higher turnout could water down the showing of the Brotherhood, because its core of supporters are the most likely to vote.
If there are heavy numbers of voters, that could also give legitimacy to a vote that the military insisted go ahead despite the recent turmoil.
A referendum on constitutional amendments in March had a turnout of 40 percent ? anything lower than that could be a sign that skepticism over the process is high.
The Brotherhood, which used to run its candidates as independents because of the official ban on the group, made its strongest showing in elections in 2005, when it won 20 percent of parliament's seats. Its leaders have predicted that in this vote it could win up to 40 or 50 percent.
___
AP correspondents Maggie Michael in Cairo, Hadeel al-Shalchi in Alexandria, Egypt, and Aya Batrawy in Assiut, Egypt contributed to this report.
NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Vampires feasted at the Thanksgiving weekend box office, bringing the newest "Twilight" movie its second win in a row, over a strong comeback for "The Muppets" and other family fare that filled theaters.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1" delivered an estimated $113.5 million around the globe from Friday through Sunday. The film ranked No. 1 for the second straight week at U.S. and Canadian theaters, where ticket sales hit $42 million for three days and $62.3 million over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The film's total box-office take since its release reached $489.3 million globally.
"Breaking Dawn: Part 1" is the fourth movie in the "Twilight" series, one of Hollywood's most lucrative franchises. The movies are based on best-selling novels by Stephenie Meyer about a human-vampire-werewolf love triangle, a story that has generated legions of die-hard female fans.
For the latest movie, "word of mouth is good. (Fans) are supporting the film," said Richie Fay, president of domestic distribution for independent studio Summit Entertainment, which backed the film.
In second place, audiences welcomed the Muppets back to theaters for the first time in 12 years.
New Disney movie "The Muppets," starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy and their puppet friends, took in a strong $29.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters in three days. The five-day holiday weekend haul reached $42 million domestically. Two international markets added $1.6 million.
Disney bought the rights to the Muppets in 2004, and the media, entertainment and consumer-products giant is eager to interest a new generation in the characters.
"It's hard to have anyone argue we didn't bring them back," said Dave Hollis, Disney's executive vice president for motion picture sales and distribution. The movie's performance "exceeded expectations," he said.
The Muppets starred on a weekly television show in the 1970s and early 1980s plus a series of films, the last being 1999's "Muppets from Space."
Critics loved the new Muppets movie, with 98 percent giving it a favorable review, according to aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences awarded an A rating on average, according to exit-polling firm CinemaScore. The movie cost about $45 million to produce.
FAMILY FILMS COMPETE
In third place for the weekend, dancing penguin sequel "Happy Feet Two" earned $13.4 million over three days domestically during its second weekend in theaters and $18.4 million through five days.
Rounding out the top five were two other new family movies that critics adored.
Animated 3D movie "Arthur Christmas," which cost about $98 million to produce, pulled in $12.7 million at domestic theaters over three days and $17 million in five days to finish in fourth place. The movie explains how Santa delivers presents around the world in one night and has earned $22.3 million overseas since opening two weeks ago.
Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures, said the film "opened about where we hoped it would," adding that he expected the Christmas theme would appeal throughout the holiday season.
"Hugo," a 3D family movie, ended the weekend in fifth place with $11.4 million over three days and $15.4 million over five days. The movie centers on an orphan living in a Paris train station in the 1930s.
The film exceeded studio forecasts for its release in about 1,300 locations, far fewer than the 3,000-plus for the other widely released films, said Don Harris, president of domestic distribution for Paramount.
In a small number of theaters, "My Week with Marilyn," starring Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, opened with $1.8 million from 244 screens from Friday through Sunday. Critics have praised Williams' performance in the Weinstein Co. film and mentioned her as an Academy Award contender for the role.
Walt Disney Co released "The Muppets." Privately held Summit Entertainment released "Breaking Dawn: Part 1." "Arthur Christmas" was distributed by Sony, and "Hugo" was released by Paramount, a unit of Viacom Inc. Time Warner unit Warner Bros. distributed "Happy Feet Two."
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Bill Trott)
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Lovely ?
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Will you reserve Lydia for me please?
bananaramma
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Sure banana!
Nova, someone might be reserving the spot, so I'll let you know rather you can have it or not depending on what they say ^^
Lovely ?
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Cool beans on it DUN DAH DAH AWAY!.. ::Flies away to find and awesome pic::
Edit: Just thought of a question Lovely Spade do you want, anime or real life or don't give a flip.
bananaramma
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Anime pics would be great ^^
Lovely ?
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Annnnnnd I'm working on my character now Lovely! I have another one to do, but this sheet is much shorter so I'll do it first :D
EDIT: Done!
Pimpette
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Okie Dokie she's done Lovely Spade.
bananaramma
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New blog post: Cameroon in London: African Football Kits for London 2012 Olympic Games blog.visitlondon.com/2011/12/camero? 
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The Gillmor Gang ? Robert Scoble, Kevin Marks, John Taschek, and Steve Gillmor ? are recording live today at 1pm PT.
Fox 5 Atlanta, the news outlet that broke the story of Ginger White's alleged 13-year affair with Herman Cain last week, is reporting that Cain will endorse former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich today.
