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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Brussels Airlines announces Washington DC as their second transatlantic destination

Brussels Airlines today announced that this summer they will starting service to Washington DC, reports the USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2013/01/30/brussels-airlines-tabs-washington-as-second-us-destination/1877405

This five times weekly service will provide another carrier and connection opportunity of United Airlines Washington DC hub and Brussels Airlines? ?Brussels hub. Brussels Airlines has strong business class cabin that will give star alliance flyers another transatlantic choice out of Washington DC. The airline has an extensive medium/long haul route network to Africa, which complements Star Alliance Partners South African Airways and?Ethiopian?Airways. All in all this is a good thing for people looking for another alternative to Europe and Africa out of Washington DC.

Happy Travels

Colpuck

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Tags: Africa, Brussels Airlines, Europe, IAD, United Airlines

Source: http://puckinflight.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/brussels-airlines-announces-washington-dc-as-their-second-transatlantic-destination/

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UPDATE 1-Japan factory output up, firms expect recovery

By Kaori Kaneko

TOKYO, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Japan's December factory output rose at the fastest pace in a year and a half and firms expect further gains, raising hopes that stabilising global demand and exports will help pull the economy from its slump.

The 2.5 percent rise in production was below the median market forecast for a 4.5 percent gain and followed a 1.4 percent decline in November, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed on Thursday.

Manufacturers surveyed by the ministry raised their forecast for January to a 2.6 percent rise from an earlier forecast for a 2.4 percent gain. Firms expect production to increase 2.3 percent in February, indicating a moderate recovery in coming months.

The data may should encourage Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, which is gambling that big fiscal spending and open-ended monetary easing by the Bank of Japan can stir the economy from decades of stop-start growth and intermittent deflation.

'The results are not that bad and the forecasts show that production could continue to grow at a good pace,' said Shuji Tonouchi, senior fixed income strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities.

'We can say that production is bottoming out. Overseas economies are not likely to deteriorate any further, so this will support Japanese production and the overall economy.'

Separate data released on Thursday showed Japanese manufacturing activity contracted in January, but the pace of contraction slowed for the first time in four months as the country slowly recovers from an export-led slump.

Analysts expect Japan's economy will grow moderately this year as exports will recover led by a rebound in the global economy, while Abe's aggressive monetary and fiscal policy may also help boost the economy.

His ambitious strategy - dubbed 'Abenomics' - has sent the yen to hit a 2-1/2 year low and pushed share prices to 32-month high.

Under relentless pressure, the BOJ last week doubled its inflation target to 2 percent and pledged an open-ended commitment to buying assets next year to help beat deflation.

Earlier this month, the government compiled a 10.3 trillion yen ($114.5 billion) economic stimulus package as part of Abe's plans to revive the economy.

But in a $1.02 trillion draft budget for the next fiscal year approved on Tuesday, the government aims to keep new bond sales below tax revenues in a symbolic move to show its resolve to continue with efforts to fix Japan's tattered finances.

(Editing by Eric Meijer) Keywords: JAPAN ECONOMY/

(kaori.kaneko@thomsonreuters.com)(Reuters Messaging:)(kaori.kaneko.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)(+81-3-6 441-1983)

The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.xe.com/news/2013/01/31/3178597.htm?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=TL&utm_content=NOGEO&utm_campaign=News_RSS_Art6

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The Time Is Ripe For Biogas Investment, Says SABIA, Ahead Of Launch At Africa Energy Indaba

The South African Biogas Industry Association (SABIA)will be launched at the Africa Energy Indaba in February 2013 by experts who believe that biogas should no longer be lumped together with other alternative energy sources, but holds enough weight to stand in its own category.

?Previously, the only incentive available for investing in biogas energy was that you could get preferential interest rates from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC),but Eskom and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently introduced a rebate scheme and a grant incentive respectively that have substantially improved the financial viability of biogas projects in South Africa? explains Mark Tiepelt, the chairman of SABIA.

SABIA believes that biogas has long been overshadowed by other forms of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro. Commissioning a biogas plant however not only turns organic waste into electricity, but also has the added benefit of producing thermal energy through capturing of excess heat from the generator (CHP) which turns the often environmentally hazardous waste into usable organic compost and has the potential to change the carbon status of the operation to being carbon neutral.

The methane can also be used as vehicular fuel to run cars, taxis and buses. On a domestic level, biogas is used worldwide for cooking purposes, for lighting and to heat water.

?I believe biogas has the potential to create an entire new industry in SA with a market potential in excess of R10billion. Conservatively calculated the industry can produce in the region of 2.5GW of electricity and create thousands of job opportunities at the same time? says Tiepelt.

A civil engineer by training, he has been running his own biogas digester on his smallholding in Muldersdrift for the past four years and during this time has never purchased LPG gas to cook with.

His digester is fed with the raw sewerage from the property, kitchen waste and also manure from the horse stables in the area. Tiepelt believes that the time has come for biogas to takes it rightful place in the renewable energy sector in South Africa and to 'play catch-up' to other countries such as India that has more than 12 million rural biogas plants. This is the game changer that the biogas industry needs.

South Africa lags behind the rest of the developed and developing world when it comes to using biogas for energy. In South Africa there are approximately 200 small scale biogas digesters, mostly installed by NGO's. ?Germany, as an example, has built 7000 biogas plants over the past 15 years and currently builds a new biogas plant every 8 hours. South Africa is where Germany was 15 years ago and is likely to see increasing investment in many biogas plants,? says Raoul Goosen from the IDC's Green Industries Business Unit.

The unit has recently funded some of the first South African biogas plants and Goosen says the ?IDC is committed to assisting further development of South Africa's nascent biogas industry, leading to cleaner and more efficient businesses that currently generate waste?.

Producing energy from biogas makes sense for big scale commercial operations like agricultural concerns, dairies, piggeries, fruit and vegetable farmers, manufacturers, food processing plants, wine estates and breweries, to name a few. These are the low-hanging fruit - companies or industries that are already working with organic material, or have organic material as a by-product and have enough space to install biogas plants at their operations.

Jonathan de Magalhaes is the managing director of Ubuntu Energy Solutions, a company that looks at all renewable energy solutions that are available, and then recommends ?the right solution? for their customers.

?If you look at abattoirs and farm lands, the waste that they generate incurs a cost to their companies to get rid of, but with biogas you're using that waste to generate energy, and after the process, you are left with what is a suitable organic compost because biogas turns harmful waste into an organic fertilizer and also removes harmful pathogens in the process without taking away your nutritional value of the material,? says de Magalhaes.

With Eskom's announcement in July 2012 that its rebate programme will now extend to small scale renewable projects, it's more viable for companies than ever before to invest in the renewable energy sector in South Africa.

?As biogas can be stored, the electricity produced can be used at will, especially during peak hours where there is the biggest demand ? this is not the case with solar and wind generated electricity that can only be produced when the sun shines or the wind blows? says Tiepelt.

In addition to Eskom's rebate programme, biogas investors can also approach the DTI for grant funding through their manufacturing incentive scheme (MCEP). With both Eskom rebate and MCEP grant, there are certain criteria related to BBBEE standing, job creation, local content, etc.

The MCEP grant will be applicable to companies that have a manufacturing component to its operation. As an example dairy farmer who delivers its milk to a central dairy will not qualify for MCEP, they will however qualify if the pasteurize and bottle their milk on the premises.

Dr Jo?l Houdet, Managing Director of Integrated Sustainability Services, another company that specialises in renewable energy solutions for its clients, says, ?Biogas is a powerful tool to reduce your costs (energy, waste treatment) and environmental impacts simultaneously. Through reductions in carbon emissions, decreases in tax liabilities could become an additional benefit should the much-debated SA carbon tax materialise.?

The biogas industry has the potential to explode in the future, but Tiepelt cautions that the opportunities need to be utilised now.?The Eskom rebate won't be around forever, and moreover, it's going to become harder in the future in terms of the criteria and the restrictions placed on qualifying.?

About the Africa Energy Indaba:
SABIA is an endorsing partner of the Africa Energy Indaba. The conference and exhibition is adopted by the World Energy Council (WEC) as the African regional event of the WEC and receives global recognition as the foremost event for energy professionals from across the globe.

Presented by the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) in association with the World Energy Council, and supported by the African Union and the NEPAD Planning & Coordinating Agency, the forum has achieved the highest level of endorsement and support and as such is without doubt the leading energy event in Africa.

The Africa Energy Indaba 2013 will be held from the 19th - 21st February 2013, at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The conference continues to grow and has become the foremost forum for debating and exchanging solutions to Africa's energy challenges and focuses on: African power suppliers; alternative and renewable energies; oil and gas; the legal and regulatory framework, and investment opportunities in African energy projects, to name a few.

The exhibition has become a significant marketplace for African and international stakeholders doing business in Africa's energy sector.

Source: http://www.modernghana.com/news/442386/1/the-time-is-ripe-for-biogas-investment-says-sabia-.html

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Auction house to offer Andy Warhol works online

This undated photo provided by Christies's auction house in New York shows Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Chicken with Rice Soup," tin soup can filled with concrete, with a pre-auction estimate of $50,000-70,000. It is one of about 125 artworks being offered from Feb. 26 through March 5 in Christie's first online-only Warhol sale. The works can be previewed online prior to the sale. Bidders can browse, bid and receive instant updates by email or phone if another bid exceeds theirs. (AP Photo/Christie's)

This undated photo provided by Christies's auction house in New York shows Andy Warhol's "Self-Portrait with Fright Wig screenprint on t-shirt," with a pre-auction estimate of $15,000 - $20,000. It is one of about 125 artworks being offered from Feb. 26 through March 5 in Christie's first online-only Warhol sale. The works can be previewed online prior to the sale. Bidders can browse, bid and receive instant updates by email or phone if another bid exceeds theirs. (AP Photo/Christie's)

This undated photo provided by Christies's auction house in New York shows Andy Warhol's "New Coke III B.44," screenprint in colors, on colored graphic art paper, with a pre-auction estimate of $25,000-35,000. It is one of about 125 artworks being offered from Feb. 26 through March 5 in Christie's first online-only Warhol sale. The works can be previewed online prior to the sale. Bidders can browse, bid and receive instant updates by email or phone if another bid exceeds theirs. (AP Photo/Christie's)

NEW YORK (AP) ? An online auction of Andy Warhol's works will give a broader audience the chance to own a piece of his pop art.

It is Christie's International's first online-only Warhol sale. About 125 paintings, drawings, photographs and prints will be offered from Feb. 26 through March 5. Pre-sale estimates range from $600 to $70,000.

The auction is being held in partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

The works can be previewed online before the sale.

Bidders can browse, bid and receive instant updates by email or phone if another bid exceeds theirs.

The first live auction raised $17 million for the Warhol Foundation's endowment.

Warhol is famous for his silk screened images of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and detailed renderings of Campbell's Soup cans.

___

Online: www.christies.com/warhol

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-30-Warhol%20Foundation-Christie's/id-37a8066b38a04e579fa537bfbf86f832

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Culinary Union to picket on Strip over Cosmopolitan negotiations

Steve Marcus

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is shown at sunset from the roof of Planet Hollywood on Tuesday, Dec. 14,?2010.

By Ron Sylvester (contact)

Published Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 | 10:37 a.m.

Updated 20 minutes ago

For the first time in a decade, members of the Culinary Union are planning to picket on the Las Vegas Strip, as contract negotiations remain at a standstill with the Cosmopolitan.

Union officials say the pickets planned for Thursday come after 18 months of negotiations with resort owner Deutsche Bank to establish a contract for workers. Negotiations have stalled on issues including wages, health care costs and job security. The Cosmopolitan is one of the few casinos on the Strip where employees are working without a contract.

"What workers believe is that if smaller places like the Riviera and Tropicana can pay workers decent wages and health care like other bigger properties on the Strip, there's no reason why the Cosmopolitan should be the exception," said Yvenna Cancela, spokeswoman for the union. "The workers are asking for same standards that have been established on the Strip over the past decade."

The pickets are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Cosmopolitan is the only major casino in Las Vegas in negotiations to establish a contract with Culinary 226, union officials said. A majority of Cosmopolitan service employees signed cards in 2010 saying they wished to have union representation.

"We understand that it is the union's right to picket," said Amy Rossetti, Cosmopolitan director of public relations. "The Cosmopolitan has been negotiating in good faith and will continue to do so."

C.J. Harry, 40, a bartender at the Henry at the Cosmopolitan, said many minor parts of a contract have been agreed upon, but major issues remain unresolved.

"I came here from a union job, so I know the difference," said Harry, who has bartended in Las Vegas for 12 years and joined the Cosmopolitan when it opened two years ago. "I continue to work there in hopes we can get a contract. It's a good place to work. We just want to have conditions that are equal to everywhere else on the Strip."

Employees have agreed not to ask for pay increases for several years but want terms for issues such as seniority.

Also, under most union contracts, the resorts pay health care costs. At the Cosmopolitan, employees share those costs.

"My opinion is they are negotiating, but it's going much slower than most parties have anticipated," Harry said. "Tomorrow we're going to go out in front of the Cosmopolitan and show them we're ready to have a contract."

It is the first time the union has held pickets on the Strip since 2003, during negotiations with the former Aladdin, now Planet Hollywood.

The Culinary Union represents employees including food and beverage, house keeping and other service staff.

The only large casinos on or near the Strip where the Culinary Union does not represent employees are the Quad, the Palazzo and Venetian, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and the Palms. Workers at those resorts have not asked to join the union.

The Culinary Union also does not represent workers at Station Casinos and for years has been embattled with the company over organizing employees. The biggest dispute has been over how to ascertain whether employees want to organize. Station wants its workers to hold an election, while the union prefers a card check, as was done at the Cosmopolitan.

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas dares to be different. From the hotel?s red reservations desks to fine art found throughout the resort, The Cosmopolitan?s signature style is helping to pave its own path on the Las Vegas Strip.

Upon entering the resort, you?re greeted by pillars of video boards playing video art by Digital Kitchen and David Rockwell Studio exclusively produced for The Cosmopolitan. Just beyond that, you?ll find all your favorite casino games on the resort?s 100,000-square-foot casino floor.

The Cosmopolitan?s rooms standout as the resort?s most unique feature. About 2,220 of The Cosmopolitan?s 2,995 rooms have 6-foot deep terraces that span the length of the room, a first at a modern Strip hotel. Other in-room amenities include soaking tubs, kitchenettes and quirky accessories like artsy coffee table books.

The dining experience at The Cosmopolitan isn?t something you?ll find at other Strip resorts, either. All of The Cosmopolitan?s 13 restaurateurs are new to the Las Vegas market. You?ll find American steakhouse fare in a modern setting at STK, top-notch sushi at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill and the freshest fish flown in from the Mediterranean daily at Estiatorio Milos.

Whether the sun is up or down, Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub is the place to find the party at The Cosmopolitan. The venue is a dayclub/nightclub, complete with a pool and cabanas outside and three different rooms with three different vibes inside.

If nightclubs aren?t your thing, you can grab a drink at one of The Cosmopolitan?s five other bars, like The Chandelier, which is encased in 2 million dripping crystals.

3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109

702-698-7000

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jan/30/culinary-union-picket-strip-over-cosmopolitan-nego/

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

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Futurity.org ? China's indoor air raises cancer risk for women

Increased lung cancer risk among women was strongly attributed to the fine particles produced by coal combustion for heating and cooking, and from passive smoking. Kitchen ventilation systems, such as fans, are not common in China and people are reluctant to open windows because they want to keep heat in and pollution out. (Credit: Edwin Lee/Flickr)

U. BUFFALO (US) ? Breathing indoor air in some Chinese cities carries significant cancer risks, especially for women, new research shows.

While around 60 percent of Chinese men smoke, only about 4 percent of women in China smoke, however women?s rates of lung cancer are among the highest in the world?about 21 cases per 100,000.

Indoor air pollution generates levels of fine particulate matter that are at least double the maximum considered acceptable by World Health Organization guidelines, according to the study published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control. The study is the first to measure particulate matter (PM) levels inside the home and to link it with the incidence of lung cancer in Chinese women.

?Our results show that besides smoking, indoor air pollution contributes significantly to women?s lung cancer risk in China,? says lead author Lina Mu, assistant professor of social and preventive medicine in the School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University at Buffalo. ?That?s why we wanted to find out how much indoor air pollution contributes to lung cancer risk among Chinese women. It has been suspected but not measured.?

Since women tend to be home for longer periods of time and to cook more frequently, housing-related exposure is more of a factor among women than men.

The case-control study includes 429 Chinese women:?197 who had lung cancer and 232 who were controls. Of the 197 with lung cancer, 164 were nonsmokers while there were 218 nonsmokers in the control group. The study was conducted in Taiyuan city, one of the top 10 air polluted cities in the world according to Asian Development Bank?s 2012 annual report. Taiyuan is a large industrial city in northern China, which is home to heavy industry, including steel, coal mining, and processing and electronics plants.

Among the nonsmokers, lung cancer was strongly associated with multiple sources of indoor air pollution, including exposure to tobacco smoke at work, frequent cooking, and the use of solid fuel, primarily coal, for cooking and heating.

A particle mass monitor was used to measure PM levels inside the homes?mostly apartments?of study participants.

?We found that the smallest type of particulate matter is the type associated with the higher risk of lung cancer among nonsmoking Chinese women,? Mu says.? ?For every additional ten micrograms per square meter of fine particular matter, there is an associated 45 percent increased risk of lung cancer.?

Also, hot oil, a staple in traditional Chinese stir-frying and deep-frying, produces carcinogens, and is a key contributor.

?Women are at high risk because they are exposed to solid fuel emissions from heating and cooking as well as from passive smoking,? she says, adding that smoking is a key social ingredient in China. ?Men tend to gather and smoke together, often in small, enclosed spaces, especially in offices.?

While in large cities, some restaurants have begun to segregate smokers, people smoke freely in most public places in China. Improvements will depend on significant changes, including a switch to clean energy sources, the installation of better ventilation systems, and public education about the benefits of keeping windows open and curbing passive smoking.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, Fudan University, the Taiyuan City Center for Disease Control and Prevention,? and Shanxi Tumor Hospital contributed to the study that was funded by the National Nature Science Foundation of China, the National Institutes of Health, and the Alper Research Center for Environmental Genomics at UCLA.

Source: University at Buffalo

Source: http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/chinas-indoor-air-raises-cancer-risk-for-women/

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Hospital patient loads often at unsafe levels, physician survey says

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Nationwide, more than one-quarter of hospital-based general practitioners who take over for patients' primary care doctors to manage inpatient care say their average patient load exceeds safe levels multiple times per month, according to a new Johns Hopkins study. Moreover, the study found that one in five of these physicians, known as hospitalists, reports that their workload puts patients at risk for serious complications, or even death.

The research, reported in JAMA Internal Medicine, comes as health care systems anticipate an influx of new patients generated by the Affordable Care Act over the next few years; as restrictions on resident-physicians limit their duty hours; and as one in three physicians is expected to retire or otherwise leave medicine over the next 10 years, cumulatively resulting in increased patient care needs coupled with stressed staffing demands.

"As perceived by physicians, workload issues have the significant potential to do harm and decrease quality," says study leader Henry J. Michtalik, M.D., M.P.H., M.H.S., an assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "It is the elephant in the room that cannot be ignored. We have to find that balance between safety, quality and efficiency."

The Johns Hopkins study comprised a survey of 890 hospitalists across the United States, 506 of whom responded. Twenty-two percent of the respondents reported ordering costly and potentially unnecessary tests, procedures or consults because they didn't have time to properly assess patients assigned to their care.

"If a hospitalist is short on time and a patient is having chest pains, for example, the doctor may be more likely to order additional tests, prescribe aspirin and call a cardiologist -- all because there isn't adequate time to immediately and fully evaluate the patient," Michtalik says.

For the study, Michtalik, a hospitalist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and his colleagues electronically surveyed self-identified hospitalists enrolled in an online physician community, QuantiaMD.com. Of those who responded over the course of four weeks in November 2010, the average age was 38 years and more than half worked in community hospitals. Among other questions, physicians were asked to report what they felt was a safe number of patients to see in a typical shift. Most physicians reported that they could safely see 15 patients in a shift if they could focus 100 percent on clinical matters. When the average actual workload was compared to the perceived safe workload, 40 percent of physicians exceeded their own reported safe level.

Michtalik says that JHH's hospitalists typically stay below that number, while hospitalists at community hospitals often see more than 15 patients per shift.

"Hospitals need to evaluate workloads of attending physicians, create standards for safe levels of work and develop mechanisms to maintain workload at safe levels," he adds.

The study was supported by National Institutes of Health grant T32 HP10025-17-00, the NIH/Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research KL2 Award 5KL2RR025006 and the Johns Hopkins Hospitalist Scholars Program.

Other Johns Hopkins researchers involved in the study include Hsin-Chieh "Jessica" Yeh, Ph.D.; Peter J. Pronovost, M.D., Ph.D.; and Daniel J. Brotman, M.D.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine, via Newswise.

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

Journal Reference:

Henry J. Michtalik, Hsin-Chieh Yeh, Peter J. Pronovost, Daniel J. Brotman. Impact of Attending Physician Workload on Patient Care: A Survey of Hospitalists. JAMA Intern Med., 2013 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.1864

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/9LhIrMIRPJ4/130128163331.htm

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Monday, January 28, 2013

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'Argo,' Lawrence, Day-Lewis win at SAG

Ben Affleck accepts the award for outstanding cast in a motion picture for ?Argo? at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Actor Daniel Day-Lewis arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Jennifer Lawrence accepts the award for outstanding female actor in a leading role for ?Silver Linings Playbook? at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Daniel Day-Lewis accepts the awards for outstanding male actor in a leading role for ?Lincoln? at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Jennifer Lawrence, left, and Robert De Niro kiss as she accepts the award for outstanding female actor in a leading role for ?Silver Linings Playbook? at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The CIA thriller "Argo" continues to steamroll through awards season, winning the top honor for overall cast performance at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

SAG's lead-acting honors Sunday went to Jennifer Lawrence for her role as a troubled widow in a shaky new relationship in the lost-souls romance "Silver Linings Playbook" and Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War epic "Lincoln."

Anne Hathaway of "Les Miserables" and Tommy Lee Jones of "Lincoln" won the supporting-acting honors.

"It occurred to me ? it was an actor that murdered Abraham Lincoln," said Day-Lewis, a solid front-runner to join an exclusive list of three-time acting Oscar winners. "And therefore, somehow it is only so fitting that every now and then an actor tries to bring him back to life again."

It was a brisk, businesslike and fairly bland evening as the actors union handed out honors to a predictable lineup of winners who generally had triumphed at earlier Hollywood ceremonies or past SAG shows.

The SAG cast win came a day after "Argo" claimed the top honor from the Producers Guild of America, whose winner often goes on to claim best picture at the Academy Awards. "Argo" also was a surprise victor two weeks ago at the Golden Globes, where it won best drama and director for Ben Affleck.

The awards momentum positions "Argo" for a rare feat at the Feb. 24 Oscars, where it could become just the fourth film in 85 years to be named best picture without a nomination for its director.

"To me this has nothing to do with me, it has to do with the incredible people who were in this movie," said Affleck, who also stars in "Argo" and accepted the SAG prize alongside his cast.

Affleck plays CIA agent Tony Mendez, who masterminded the daring rescue of six U.S. embassy workers in Iran after the 1979 hostage crisis erupted. The Americans were brought out of Iran masquerading as crew members of a fake Hollywood sci-fi movie scouting locations.

A directing nomination at the Oscars usually goes hand in hand with a best-picture win. When Affleck was snubbed for a directing slot, awards analysts initially were counting "Argo" out for the best-picture Oscar, along with Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" and Tom Hooper's "Les Miserables," which also missed out on directing nominations.

Only once in modern times has a film won best picture without a directing nomination, with 1989's "Driving Miss Daisy." The other two times came in the show's early years, at the first Oscars in 1929 with "Wings" and for 1932's "Grand Hotel."

But "Argo" has proven a resilient crowd-pleaser, dominating at awards shows since then over Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," which leads the Oscars with 12 nominations.

The cast prize at SAG adds some weight to the Oscar prospects for "Argo," though the guild honor has a spotty record at forecasting eventual best-picture winners. Only eight of 17 times since the guild added the category has the cast winner gone on to take the best-picture Oscar. "The Help" won the guild's cast prize last year, while Oscar voters named "The Artist" as best picture.

The next playoff round before the Oscars is Saturday's Directors Guild of America Awards, where Affleck, Bigelow, Spielberg and Hooper all are nominated, along with Ang Lee for "Life of Pi." The winner there typically goes on to triumph with directing and best-picture Oscars, but only Spielberg and Lee are nominated for both the Directors Guild and Oscar prizes this time, throwing the awards picture into a muddle.

Sunday's acting prizes solidify those categories, though. "Silver Linings" star Lawrence won a Golden Globe and has become one of Hollywood's hottest talents, with part two of her blockbuster franchise, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," due out in November.

"Now I have this naked statue that means some of you even voted for me, and that is an indescribable feeling," Lawrence said after explaining she earned her SAG card at age 14 by filming a spot for MTV.

Hathaway won for her role as a doomed single mother forced into prostitution in the adaptation of the stage musical based on Victor Hugo's epic novel. Her win came over four past Oscar recipients ? Sally Field, Helen Hunt, Nicole Kidman and Maggie Smith.

"I'm just thrilled I have dental," Hathaway said. "I got my SAG card when I was 14. It felt like the beginning of the world. I have loved every single minute of my life as an actor. ... Thank you for nominating me alongside incredible women and incredible performances."

Jones, who was not at the show, won for his turn as abolitionist firebrand Thaddeus Stevens in the Civil War epic. The win improves his odds to become a two-time Academy Award winner. He previously won a supporting-actor Oscar for "The Fugitive."

Day-Lewis, a two-time Oscar winner for "My Left Foot" and "There Will Be Blood," could become the fifth actor to earn three Oscars, along with Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan. Katharine Hepburn has the acting record with four Oscars.

Backstage at SAG, Day-Lewis was hardly ready to predict a third Oscar win.

"There's a good chance I won't. I feel the same way at all these occasions. Mostly, we're traveling as a group, the fellow nominees, give or take one here or there," Day-Lewis said. "I would happily recognize any single one person whose name is called."

On SAG's television side, with "30 Rock" ending its run, its stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin won the SAG awards for best comedy performers. It was Baldwin's seventh-straight win, while Fey earned her fifth SAG prize.

"Oh, my God. It's ridiculous," Baldwin said. "It's the end of our show, which is sad. Everybody is sad about that. It was the greatest experience I've ever had."

Fey gave a plug for the show's finale airing Thursday, noting that it's up against "The Big Bang Theory."

"Just tape 'The Big Bang Theory' for once, for crying out loud," Fey said.

"Modern Family" won for best overall cast in a TV comedy show. Accepting for the cast, "Modern Family" co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson offered thanks to the makers of "30 Rock" and another departing series, "The Office," saying "you all have set the comedy bar so high."

The TV drama acting awards went to Claire Danes of "Homeland" and Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad." ''Downton Abbey" won the TV drama cast award.

Julianne Moore's turn as Sarah Palin in "Game Change" earned her the TV prize for best actress in a movie or miniseries. Kevin Costner won for best actor in a movie or miniseries for "Hatfields & McCoys."

Receiving the guild's life-achievement award was Dick Van Dyke, who presented the same prize last year to his "The Dick Van Dyke Show" co-star, Mary Tyler Moore.

After waiting on stage for a prolonged standing ovation to end, Van Dyke said, "That does an old man a lot of good."

___

Associated Press writers Beth Harris, Christy Lemire and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-27-SAG%20Awards/id-3bfcf1cba14844c2abc482ea5c0d066b

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Sundance Proves A Filmmaking Renaissance Is ... - Hope For Film

What would Variety, Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, The Wrap, MovieCityNews, Filmmaker Magazine & Deadline report if a single film company took the following awards at Sundance this year?

Narrative Grand Jury Prize
Audience Award For Narrative Film
Best Directing of a Narrative Film
Best Directing of a Documentary Film
Special Jury Award For Documentary Film #1
Special Jury Award For Documentary Film #2

I can?t help but think they would announce the arrival of a powerhouse.

Well, allow me the pleasure of breaking such an announcement. ?In case you missed it: a filmmaking renaissance is happening in The Bay Area. ?All of the following films that premiered at Sundance and won an award there had a major Bay Area connection: Fruitvale, Afternoon Delight,?Cutie and the Boxer, Inequality For All, and American Promise.

I don?t know when was the last time a film won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance as Fruitvale?did this year. ?Not only is director Ryan Coogler from Oakland, not only was the story and subject from The Bay Area, not only was the film shot in The Bay Area, and not only was it mixed at Skywalker, but the San Francisco Film Society & The Kenneth Rainin Foundation granted the film $200,000.

If that wasn?t enough to crow about, allow me the thrill of mentioning that this is the second year in a row that a film supported by the?San Francisco Film Society?& The Kenneth Rainin Foundation won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. ?Yup, Beasts Of The Southern Wild received similar support last year as Fruitvale?did this year. ?Do we need non-profit support in order to make ambitious socially relevant cinema in America? ?It sure damn looks that way, and if it is not necessary, it sure helps! ?A market-driven entertainment economy encourages one thing; if we want diversity we must support our cultural institutions (and build new ones!).

But allow me to go on with the glory that this year?s Sundance has bestowed upon the cities by The Bay? ?I don?t know when the last time a producer had both a documentary film and a narrative film in each of the Sundance competition. ?I definitely don?t think a producer who managed that feat ever won awards for both films (okay, I once had a film in each section, but only one of them one an award). ?Winning an award for each of their films is exactly what 72 Productions accomplished with Afternoon Delight?s Best Directing of a narrative film award (directed by Jill Soloway) and Inequality For All?s U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award (directed by Jacob Kornbluth). ?And did you know that 72 Productions? Jen Chaiken sits on the San Francisco Film Society?s Board of Directors? And that the SFFS was Inequality For All?s fiscal sponsor? ?Surely you know that I4A?s incredibly inspiring subject, Robert Reich, teaches and lives in Berkeley, and yup, that is in The Bay Area. I imagine your collective head is now reeling in wonder about what is happening here; I know I am impressed, verily.

Yes, it?s true that the Directing Award at Sundance is one of the great honors. ?Yes, the aforementioned?Afternoon Delight?won that award for Narrative, and Cutie and the Boxer, directed by Zachary Heinzerling, won for Documentary. The San Francisco Film Society?s Doc Film Fund gave?Cutie and the Boxer?s $50,000? ?That ain?t chicken feed. ?And that?s a Bay Area connection for both sections? Directing Award. ?It must be something in the water!

But The Bay Area?s dominance continues on from there. It kind of takes your breathe away, doesn?t it? ?The other winner of a Special Jury Prize For Documentary Film,?Joe Brewster and Mich?le Stephenson?s?American Promise, ?also received funding from The San Francisco Film Society. How great is it to give money ?away to films that lift our culture up? ?I suppose you don?t know that feeling until you?ve done it, but know what? ?You too can do it and I will tell you how below?

Yup. Five films. ?Count ?em and tells what it all adds up to?

That is five films, six awards, at Sundance 2013 with Bay Area connections. ?Pretty awesome. ?In addition to all of that, the Bay Area was represented by other filmmakers at Sundance too; Rob Epstein?and Jeffrey Friedman were there with TWO films, one narrative, one doc: Lovelace and The Battle For AmFar. The list goes on and on and on.

That is not a rumbling you are feeling underground, that is the roar of a community?s heart beating as one, and quite rapidly at that mind you. ?You don?t just have to be from Poland to have that flutter (if you watched the Awards, you will understand the reference).

I think it is now abundantly clear that if you love independent film, if you want diverse, ambitious film to prosper, you have to act now. ?You must not delay. ?You can either pack your bags and get the hell out of town and arrive in Fog City or one of it?s many surrounding communities, or you can show your love for such cinema by helping to support the San Francisco Film Society. ?Either one will do. ?Just take some action. ?The momentum will carry you forward.

I am investing my time, labor, & mind to help building a better infrastructure for such cinema through the SFFS. ?But it takes more. ?Money almost always helps. ?Please consider doing what you can to keep this exciting time alive. ?Join SFFS & become a member. Support SFFS here. ?It takes more than a village if we are going to build it better. ?We can only do it together.

The San Francisco International Film Festival is the longest running film festival in the Americas. ?I hope to see you there this year ?(April 25- May 9th); we have some great stuff planned for you. ?The San Francisco Film Society was founded 56 years ago. ?It was built by the passion and commitment of several key individuals. ?We lost one of those individuals just as the Sundance Film Festival began this year. ?George Gund?s love and knowledge of cinema was as legendary as his great spirit and generosity. ?I can not help but think of how wide his grin would be now in knowing the legacy his support has helped build. ?Thank you, George.

Source: http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2013/01/sundance-proves-a-filmmaking-renaissance-is-happening-in-the-bay-area.html

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Video: Post Show Thoughts: Paul Ryan Speaks Out

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50606210#50606210

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Sunday, January 27, 2013

401k Gold Investing Fundamentals | Liberty

Gold coins have become the right commodity to involve in the retirement program as well as your Individual Retirement Accounts as they have the highest long-term benefit. In the classes of investments that are utilized for retirement plans, gold IRAs are the most versatile.

Financial assets like bonds depend upon others? results and may vary with time but gold?s worth isn?t at the mercy of human error. This will make a gold Individual Retirement Account the best option for all types of retirement plans.

DeGaulle, previous French president, claimed that gold is without any national biases and it is recognized around the world as a commodity having constant price that stays unchanged. It demonstrates gold IRA to be the right vehicle for retirement programs. Real gold assets make the perfect solution for personal savings.

Gold Individual Retirement Account lessens instability for an individual?s retirement account. From older days, gold has constantly moved in the other direction as compared with stocks. So, it?s related negatively to those funds and has better price as compared to them in the stock market.

As said before, gold IRA investing is a great decision to make for a person?s retirement. It can let you preserve the worth of your dollars in the future. If you want to know more, check out Gold IRA

Source: http://dwiminneapolis.com/careers/401k-gold-investing-fundamentals/

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App-driven life: Making smart cars even smarter

Smart cars bring to mind fuel-efficiency, Japan, genius engineering -- but what about intelligence? Now car makers are getting in on the app game, providing drivers with a wealth of information behind the wheel.?

By Chris Gaylord / January 27, 2013

Smart cars don't just mean high fuel efficiency anymore. With the development of car-specific apps, drivers like Orquidania Tejada in Watertown, Mass. can get a wealth of information about nearby places and people.

Ann Hermes

Enlarge

Can your car use apps? High-end Lexus cars now come with digital dashboards. These car displays (about the size of a short but wide laptop screen placed just above the gearshift) offer built-in maps and directions. However, they really come to life once you connect the car to an iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android phone.

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The Lexus Enform application ? which is free to download, but requires a Lexus to work ? uses the phone's data connection to pipe in music and restaurant reviews. Lexus teamed up with seven of the most popular online services to put a version of their mobile apps into the Enform app. There's MovieTickets.com (for showtimes), OpenTable (for restaurant reservations), Pandora and iHeartRadio (for music), Bing (for search), Yelp (for reviews), and Facebook Place (for posting your location to Facebook).

Lexus chose a good cross section of apps but incorporated fairly handicapped versions of each service. Since your phone is already in the car, you might as well just use the original, full-featured versions of these popular apps and not bother with Enform's $7 monthly fee.

Enform adds in voice controls for most of these apps, which is nice. Though one does wonder when a driver is supposed to be using these things, especially since several of the apps require someone to be looking at the screen.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/OH82Ml4qWoE/App-driven-life-Making-smart-cars-even-smarter

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Tax breaks, benefits available for military families :: The Valley News

Friday, January 25^th, 2013
Issue 04, Volume 17.

Personnel, and their families, in the armed forces face financial challenges, both while in service and after discharge. Fortunately, service members needn?t go it alone: Many tax benefits, social services, and financial assistance programs are available to help.

Special tax benefits for active duty personnel include:

? If you move because of a permanent change of station, you may be able to deduct unreimbursed moving expenses.

? If you serve in a combat zone for any part of a month, any military pay you received during that month is not considered taxable income.

? You can also include nontaxable combat pay as "earned income" when claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- to moderate-income earners.

? Deadlines for filing tax returns, paying taxes, filing refund claims and taking other actions with the IRS are automatically extended for qualifying military members.

? Joint tax returns generally must be signed by both spouses. But, when one spouse is unavailable due to military duty, you may use a power of attorney to file a joint return.

? If you?re an armed forces reserves member, you can deduct unreimbursed travel expenses for travel more than 100 miles from home to perform reserve duties.

? As you transition to civilian life, you may be able to deduct certain job-hunting costs.

? Most military installations offer free tax-filing and preparation assistance during and/or after tax filing season.

? The IRS?s Armed Forces? Tax Guide provides a summary of many important military-related tax topics (www.irs.gov).

A few suggestions and precautions for military families facing financial challenges:

? Each base command offers free financial specialists to discuss personal finances and help with budgeting; many banks and credit unions also offer these services.

? Each military branch has a Advertisement
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[ Morning Song Farm ] relief society and many grant emergency loans. Turn to them first before taking out a payday loan.

? Check-cashing outlets, pawn shops and other lenders are prohibited from charging more than 36 percent interest to military families for payday loans.

? If you do go off-base for financial assistance, you?re responsible for disclosing your military status in order to receive military rates.

? Before signing loan documents, make sure you fully understand all conditions (annual percentage rate, monthly payment amount, fees, penalties, etc.) Don?t hesitate to take the paperwork home to think it over or consult with a financial advisor.

? Avoid pawn shop loans that use your car?s title as collateral. Besides paying a very high rate, missing a payment could cost you ownership of your car.

Many governmental and private organizations provide financial information aimed at the special needs of the military, including:

? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?s Office of Servicemember Affairs

(www.consumerfinance.gov/servicemembers) features a variety of financial planning tools.

? Military OneSource (www.militaryonesource.mil) helps service members and families juggle such concerns as money management, spouse employment, education, parenting, childcare, relocation and deployment.

? SaveAndInvest.org, a financial education program created by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to improve military members? saving and investing knowledge (www.saveandinvest.org/MilitaryCenter).

? The GI Bill provides a broad range of education benefits for veterans (www.gibill.va.gov).

? The government provides an intensive, three-day Transition Assistance Program for separating or retiring service members and spouses to ease reentry into the civilian workplace

(www.taonline.com/TAPOffice).

It?s vital that our military understand the benefits available to them ? as well as the financial pitfalls to which they may be vulnerable.

Jason Alderman directs Visa?s financial education programs.

Source: http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/69023/

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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Jindal: 'Stop Being The Stupid Party'

By MICHAEL FALCONE ( @michaelpfalcone )

NOTABLES:

BREAKING - OBAMA TO ANNOUNCE CHIEF OF STAFF: From the White House: "This afternoon, the President will introduce Denis McDonough as the new White House Chief of Staff. The President will make this personnel announcement at the White House at 12:10 PM in the East Room. Denis has been one of the President's closest and most trusted advisors for nearly a decade, dating back to when he helped set up then Senator's Barack Obama's Senate office. He has relied on his intellect and good judgment ever since- most recently as a member of the President's national security team. In that capacity, Denis has played a key role in all of the major national security decisions - from ending the war in Iraq to winding down the war in Afghanistan; from our response to natural disasters in Haiti and Japan; to the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY, NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS ENDORSE HAGEL. Chuck Hagel, President Obama's controversial secretary of Defense nominee, received a boost on Thursday, ABC's Jonathan Karl reports: Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates - who served under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama - has signed on to a letter with a bi-partisan group of 12 other former top national security officials expressing his "strong endorsement" of Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense. The list also includes several top national security officials for Republican presidents: Brent Scrowcroft (Bush 41), Mel Laird (Nixon), George Schultz (Reagan), Colin Powell (Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43), Robert McFarlane (Reagan). It's a pretty formidable list. http://abcn.ws/WS4iWP

HAPPENING TODAY: Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Jim Cole, and other Obama administration officials will hold a roundtable discussion on reducing gun violence at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., will also attend. According to the White House, the session will include experts who have worked on gun safety issues in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting.

THIS WEEK ON 'THIS WEEK': After Hillary Clinton faced off with Congress on Benghazi, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., of the Foreign Relations Committee speak to ABC News Chief Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, Sunday on "This Week." And the powerhouse roundtable debates all the week's politics, with ABC News' George Will; Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz.; Democratic strategist and ABC News contributor Donna Brazile; NPR "Morning Edition" host Steve Inskeep; and New Republic owner and publisher Chris Hughes, who interviewed President Obama for an Oval Office exclusive on newsstands next week. Plus, "Zero Dark Thirty" screenwriter Mark Boal and "Blackhawk Down" author Mark Bowden discuss the controversy over the Oscar-nominated film. Tune in Sunday: http://abcnews.go.com/thisweek

THE ROUNDTABLE:

ABC's MICHAEL FALCONE: Although Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is already the subject of speculation as a potential GOP presidential contender four years from now, if you ask him, it's way too soon for speculating. "Any Republican that's thinking about running for president in 2016 needs to get his head examined," Jindal told reporters after delivering a dinner speech at the Republican National Committee winter meeting last night. He added, "We've got a lot of work between now and the next midterm elections. ? We've got to get the Republican Party back on track." In his remarks to the gathering, he also offered some tough medicine for the GOP, including this piece of advice: "We must stop being the stupid party. It's time for a new Republican party that talks like adults. It's time for us to articulate our plans and visions for America in real terms. We had a number of Republicans damage the brand this year with offensive and bizarre comments. We've had enough of that." Whether or not Jindal ultimately emerges as a top presidential contender, look for him to be a major presence, not just in Louisiana, but around the country as well as a key figure in helping the party chart its course forward.

ABC's Z. BYRON WOLF: There's a bit of irony - if that's the right word - in the fact that it took fewer than 12 hours for senators to hatch, agree, and vote on a deal to tweak filibuster rules. The filibuster technically allows the minority to engage in unlimited debate. But changing the filibuster got barely any debate at all. Then again, the filibuster didn't really change. The deal passed overwhelmingly last night creates new rules to grease the arcane and usually slow-moving cogs of the "World's Greatest Deliberative Body." But 40 votes can still block anything. Would-be reformers say these rule changes are weak sauce. But it may represent a recognition in the Senate that things aren't really working the way they're supposed to.

ABC's RICK KLEIN: Can we get a round of applause for being quiet? Mitt Romney is in Washington today, of course a few days later than he wanted to have been in town, and on a far more temporary basis. What's remarkable, though, is how silent he's been in the 10-plus weeks since he didn't win the presidency. Save for a phone call with supporters that he didn't expect to come out - the one about the "gifts" that supposedly helped President Obama win a second term - we haven't heard Romney's voice at all since the election. He was not invited to the inauguration, and without a federal office he's holding, there would have been no reason for him to attend. There will be a time when Romney has something meaningful to contribute to the public dialog on, or something to reflect on or unburden himself with. In the meantime, until he feels like he has something to add, silence is worth savoring.

BUZZ

with ABC's Chris Good ( @c_good)

JOE BIDEN'S 'FIRESIDE HANGOUT': GUNS, EARTHQUAKES. ABC's Arlette Saenz reports: Sitting in front of a fireplace, Vice President Joe Biden participated in his first ever Google+ "Fireside Hangout" Thursday in his most recent attempt to push the administration's gun policy agenda, one that he said is focused on "gun safety" not "gun control." "I don't view it as gun control. I view it as gun safety," Biden said in a Google+ "Fireside Hangout" on gun violence. ? "My view is that it is totally a guarantee, not negotiable, that I'm able to own a weapon for sporting purposes as well as for my own protection, but there should be rational limits on the type of weapon" needed for protection or sports, he said. ? the vice president doled out a bit of advice for how to protect oneself after a deadly earthquake, telling one questioner a shotgun is more effective than an assault weapon. "If you want to keep people away during an earthquake, buy some shotgun shells," Biden said. http://abcn.ws/WpFAfn

PANETTA MAKES IT OFFICIAL: WOMEN WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE IN COMBAT. From ABC's Chris Good, Luis Martinez, and Mary Bruce: Women will soon be able to serve in combat, as things officially changed with the stroke of a pen today at the Pentagon. At a joint news conference, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Charman Gen. Martin Dempsey signed a memorandum rolling back a 1994 directive prohibiting women from doing so. "They serve, they're wounded, and they die right next to each other," Panetta said of women and men in the military. "The time has come to recognize that reality. "If they're willing to put their lives on the line, then we need to recognize that they deserve a chance," Panetta said ? The change won't be immediate, however. While Panetta announced that thousands of new positions will now be open to women, he has asked the military branches to submit plans by May on how to integrate women into combat operations. He set a January 2016 deadline for branches to implement the changes, giving military services time to seek waivers for certain jobs. http://abcn.ws/WRuVuZ

OBAMA APPLAUDS THE MOVE. Obama hailed the move in a written statement. "Today, by moving to open more military positions - including ground combat units - to women, our armed forces have taken another historic step toward harnessing the talents and skills of all our citizens," he said. "This milestone reflects the courageous and patriotic service of women through more than two centuries of American history and the indispensable role of women in today's military," Obama said. "As commander in chief, I am absolutely confident that-as with the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'-the professionalism of our armed forces will ensure a smooth transition and keep our military the very best in the world," the president said. "Today, every American can be proud that our military will grow even stronger with our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters playing a greater role in protecting this country we love." http://abcn.ws/WRuVuZ (h/t ABC's Mary Bruce)

REPUBLICAN PARTY SET TO RE-ELECT CHAIR: Members of the Republican National Committee who have gathered for their winter meeting in Charlotte, N.C. today are poised to re-elect current Chairman Reince Priebus for another two-year term this afternoon. Priebus, the 40-year-old Wisconsin native who was elected to head the party in 2011, did not preside over a period that saw a winning Republican presidential candidate, but he did lead his party out of a deep hole of debt - more than $20 million left by former RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Chairman Priebus plans to deliver a speech to the meeting today and one of his big themes will be about how Republicans need to stay on a campaign footing at all times."Simple outreach' a few months before an election will not suffice," Priebus plans to tell the gathering, according to excerpts of his remarks. "In fact, let's stop talking about 'reaching out' - and start working on welcoming in. Political support is cultivated over time - not collected on Election Day." Chairman Priebus will also issue this call: "To those who have left the party, we want to earn your trust again. To those who have yet to join us, we welcome you-with open doors and open arms."

POST-ELECTION DATA WAR: TECHIES VS. POLS. The Verge's Ben Popper reported this week that Democratic operatives and Obama's tech team are fighting over what to do with the code that helped elect Obama: "[I]n the aftermath of the election, a stark divide has emerged between political operatives and the techies who worked side-by-side. At issue is the code created during the Obama for America (OFA) 2012 campaign: the digital architecture behind the campaign's website, its system for collecting donations, its email operation, and its mobile app. When the campaign ended, these programmers wanted to put their work back into the coding community for other developers to study and improve upon. Politicians in the Democratic party felt otherwise, arguing that sharing the tech would give away a key advantage to the Republicans. Three months after the election, the data and software is still tightly controlled by the president and his campaign staff, with the fate of the code still largely undecided. It's a choice the OFA developers warn could not only squander the digital advantage the Democrats now hold, but also severely impact their ability to recruit top tech talent in the future." http://bit.ly/UPNLDg

WHITE HOUSE, CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS TO MEET ON IMMIGRATION. The Huffington Post's Elise Foley reports: "The White House will meet on Friday with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss immigration reform. The meeting, one of many between President Barack Obama's administration and Hispanic members of Congress, adds steam to Obama's inaugural pledge to push for immigration reform. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have provided guidance for the president in the past. The president's schedule for Friday says he will be at the White House in meetings, but does not specify whether he will speak with Hispanic Caucus members. The meeting was confirmed to The Huffington Post by Democratic sources not authorized to speak on the record about the meeting." http://huff.to/10W3mHx

WHY IS HILLARY CLINTON WEARING GLASSES? If you noticed the glasses Hillary Clinton wore during her appearances on the Hill to talk about Benghazi, ABC's Dana Hughes reports: "She'll be wearing these glasses instead of her contacts for a period of time because of lingering issues stemming from her concussion. With them on she sees just fine. In fact, she got a kick out of the above when she saw them crystal clear," Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines has confirmed.

PHOTOS: JOHN KERRY TESTIFYING, 1971 AND TODAY. Thanks, BuzzFeed's Andrew Kaczynski: http://bit.ly/14dQx9B

TOM TANCREDO SAYS HE'LL SMOKE POT. Former congressman Tom Tancredo says he'll honor a bet to smoke marijuana. In a video to promote Colorado's Amendment 64, which legalized the personal use of marijuana in the state, Tancredo reportedly pledged to smoke pot if the measure passed. Tancredo, a self-professed non-marijuana-smoker, supported the measure. "Look, I made a bet with the producer of the film that if Amendment 64 passed (I did not think it would) that I would smoke pot," Fox News quotes Tancredo as saying. "I will therefore smoke pot under circumstances we both agree are legal under Colorado law. Hey, it's better than having to do a stupid dance as [Denver] Mayor [Michael] Hancock must perform as a result of losing a bet on the Broncos beating the Ravens." http://abcn.ws/14aH2su

MEMO TO FLIES: DON'T BUG OBAMA! Something was bugging President Obama yesterday as he nominated Mary Jo White to head the Securities and Exchange Commission and re-nominated Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, ABC's Mary Bruce notes. "This guy is bothering me here," the president said, as he repeatedly swatted at a large black fly buzzing near his face. Given Obama's reputation, it was a bold move for the insect to spar with the "swatter in chief."During a June 2009 CNBC interview, Obama famously killed a fly with a single smack. "Get out of here," the president ordered of the fly before the interview began. When the directive was ignored, Obama waited for the fly to land on his hand and then, "slap," swiftly ended its life with a single blow. "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it?" Obama proudly declared. "I got the sucker." (PETA later condemned the move). The fly in the State Dining Room today was lucky enough to avoid a similar fate. http://abcn.ws/11UGiYQ

WHO'S TWEETING?

@mckaycoppins: ICYMI: Marco Rubio Backs Women In Combat http://bit.ly/VmV0Gw via @dcbigjohn

@Goldfarb: EXCLUSIVE: Geithner's private farewell to Obama, Treasury http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/25/exclusive-geithners-private-farewell-to-obama-and-treasury-staff/ ?

@jonward11: Energy Drinks Hire Lobbyists To Fend Off Regulation by @christinawilkie http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2013/01/24/energy-drinks-lobbyists-regulation_n_2546622.html?1359082273 ?

@ByronYork: In '08, NC gov candidate Pat McCrory was swamped in Obama wave. Went back to basics, figured out how to win in '12? http://ow.ly/h7IZv

@jmartpolitico: . @RahmEmanuel is putting pressure on banks that do biz w gun makers to nudge their clients to support gun control http://politi.co/WUe9v3

Toothpaste Dots Keep Down Toiletry Bulk When Carrying Light

Toothpaste Dots Keep Down Toiletry Bulk When Carrying Light Whether you enjoy wilderness backpacking or just subscribe to the one bag travel philosophy a lot of little items can quickly add to up a lot of weight to carry around. Save weight and bulk by drying toothpaste into toothpaste dots for use while on the go.

Tactical skills weblog Imminent Threat Solutions shares a simple method for making toothpaste dots by squeezing small, chocolate-chip sized "dots" of toothpaste onto aluminum foil, allowing those dots to harden for a week or so, and then transferring to a small waterproof bag. To use, all you need to do is pop a toothpaste dot in your mouth, chew for a few seconds, and start brushing. Two caveats: this technique doesn't work with gel toothpaste (check out the source link for photos) and you'll want to toss a pinch of baking soda in your storage bag to keep the dots from sticking.

In addition to backpacking and traveling, I can see this also being a good thing to keep in your go bag with one of those small travel toothbrushes for times you'd like to brush your teeth at the office or on the go.

Trimming Weight with Toothpaste Dots for Lightweight Backpacking | Imminent Threat Solutions

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/h4Zmq3e1oV0/toothpaste-dots-keep-down-toiletry-bulk-when-carrying-light

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