Thursday 5 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

Yahoo!'s new boss

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 11:06 PM PST


AFTER months of looking, Yahoo! has finally found itself a new leader. On January 4th the company announced that Scott Thompson, the former head of PayPal, an online-payments business owned by eBay, would start work as its chief executive next week. When he takes over the corner office in Sunnyvale, Mr Thompson will find an in-tray overflowing with bad news.


Since Yahoo! ejected its potty-mouthed former chief executive, Carol Bartz, in September after two-and-a-half years at the helm and replaced her with an interim boss, Tim Morse (who will return to his previous role as finance chief), the firm has seen further defections of both employees and advertisers. They have been unnerved by its inability to chart a clear future for itself.


Mr Thompson now has the task of stabilising Yahoo!'s core businesses. He will no doubt also play an important role in the ongoing negotiations about a possible sale of its attractive Asian assets, which include stakes in Yahoo! Japan and in Alibaba, one of China's biggest internet firms.


Although he is an accomplished executive who won many plaudits for growing PayPal, Mr Thompson is something of an odd choice. He does not have a background in Yahoo!'s main businesses: search and online advertising. He also has little experience of righting sinking ships. And there is no doubt that Yahoo! requires the mother of all turnarounds. According to eMarketer, a research firm, the company lost its lead in the American online display-advertising market last year to Facebook and has seen its share of the country's market for search-related advertising crumble.


Small wonder, then, that towards the end of last year a bevy of private equity firms seemed keen to take a stake in Yahoo! and to inject it with savvier management. But talks foundered when the financial mavens refused to fork out the sums of money that Yahoo!'s shareholders were looking for.


The company's board, which has rightly been the butt of much criticism for presiding over the chaos at Yahoo!, will be hoping that Mr Thompson can help it salvage some credibility by sealing deals in Asia. The firm could indeed raise billions of dollars by selling its holding in its Japanese operation to SoftBank, its partner in the country, and by getting Alibaba to pay a juicy price to buy back part or all of the stake that Yahoo! has in the Chinese company.


But even if these deals are eventually inked, huge question marks will remain over Yahoo!'s future. Shorn of its Asian businesses, the company could well make a more digestible morsel for private-equity firms. And if they do come calling again, Mr Thomson's tenure could turn out to be even shorter than that of Ms Bartz.

Who is Rick Santorum?

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 11:01 PM PST


THE official tally came in during the early hours of the morning: Mitt Romney won the Iowa caucus, by a mere eight votes. But as many observers quickly noted, that's basically a tie between Mr Romney and Rick Santorum, who finished second. And given the expectations going in—Mr Romney is the guy with all the money and name recognition, and he had said he was going to win—a tie should probably be considered a win for Mr Santorum.


But this raises a question: who is Rick Santorum, in this context? That is, is he Rick Santorum, the big-government Catholic conservative, or is he the latest in a string of "not-Romneys"? That seems to be a going debate around the blogosphere this morning, with many pundits implying that Mr Santorum is just the latest in a string of rising (then falling) candidates not named Mitt, albeit the one who happened to crest at exactly the right time. "The question is whether Santorum is equipped to be an effective 'not Romney'", writes W. James Antle at the American Spectator. At the American Catholic Donald McClarey says, "Last night the identity of the Not Romney candidate was determined." And at RedState, Erick Erickson argues that if Mr Santorum was more than the latest not-Romney Iowans would have supported him much sooner:


Santorum visited all 99 Iowan counties, some of them repeatedly. His "successful" campaign never, ever caught on with Iowa voters despite all that retail time in Iowa. It only became successful when every single other candidate had been vetted and imploded and there was absolutely no other person familiar to the voters who could stand as the non-Romney candidate.
However, there are some indications that Mr Santorum is more than just the latest not-Romney. David Brooks had a widely read op-ed yesterday praising the former senator's concern for the working class: "I do believe that he represents sensibility and a viewpoint that is being suppressed by the political system." Ross Douthat concurs that Mr Santorum has his strengths: "He has deep blue-collar roots, a more substantial legislative record than many of his rivals, and his campaign has been the only one to even try to hit the right-wing communitarian notes that Mike Huckabee struck so effectively four years ago." And as Dave Weigel notes, Rick Santorum spent $1.65 for every vote he received in the caucus; Rick Perry spent $817. That would seem to suggest that Iowa voters were drawn to Mr Santorum's particular message, despite the shoestring budget.


So there are two ways to interpret the Santorum win: as a win for Mr Santorum, or as a vote against Mr Romney. We'll get some clues soon enough as to which it is. Mr Santorum will get a big boost in attention and funds after last night, which will help him campaign. But as all the not-Romneys to date can attest, those sudden surges of attention can do a campaign more harm than good. At some point, the anti-Romney vote needs to coalesce around a candidate, but if Mr Santorum is merely not Mr Romney, I doubt that will be enough to keep his candidacy humming. On the other hand, if Mr Santorum does hang in long enough to have a serious shot at the nomination, it would be a fascinating outcome—a win for the socially conservative, big-government side of the Republican party, after three years in which much of the discourse has been dominated by the fiscally conservative, isolationist, anti-government strain.

The "Star Trek" sequel has added another major castmember: Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast in a lead role, TheWrap has confirmed.

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:56 PM PST


A spokesperson for Paramount would not confirm which role Cumberbatch will play.


In addition to "War Horse," Cumberbatch's resume includes "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Atonement." He is also voicing multiple characters in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."


Also read: Paramount Moves 'Star Trek' 3D Sequel Back 11 Months to 2013


The principal castmembers of the 2009 hit "Star Trek" are due to return for J.J. Abrams' 3D sequel, which is still untitled. They include Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Hikaru Sulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty. Alice Eve has also been cast in the movie.


In November, Paramount Pictures bumped the release date for "Star Trek 2" from June 29, 2012, to May 17, 2013.


The 2009 "Star Trek" grossed $257.7 million domestically and $127.9 million internationally. It had a budget estimated at $150 million.


Cumberbatch is represented by UTA and John Grant at U.K.-based Conway Vangelder Grant.

Rift Between Olbermann and Current TV Deepens: 'Everybody Is Replaceable'

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:54 PM PST


Keith Olbermann returned to the airwaves Wednesday night, but the rift between the bad boy anchor and his superiors at Current TV has not dissipated a day after he refused to lead the network's coverage of the Iowa caucus, TheWrap has learned.


The newsman has tapped high-powered lawyer Patricia Glaser to "determine his rights" in his five-year contract, an individual close to him told TheWrap.


Meanwhile, executives at Current TV said that relations – especially those with Current CEO Joel Hyatt – were at a breaking point after deteriorating over the past several months.


"I hope Keith is part of our future, but it's up to Keith," an executive with Current who declined to be identified told TheWrap. "Keith set us in the right direction and we're on that path now … and as I've learned over the years, everybody is replaceable."


Also read: Where Are Keith Olbermann and Glenn Beck?


Glaser would only tell TheWrap that "the lawyers are communicating." 


Months of simmering tension between Olbermann and Current TV boiled over on Tuesday after the anchor announced that he would not play a part in the network's coverage of the Iowa caucus.


But that was just the most public sign of recent dissension. TheWrap spoke to multiple individuals on both sides of the rift. They said that Olbermann is frustrated by the slow growth of the network and its shoddy facilities (the anchor has lit a candle on his desk to mock the network's occasional blackouts).


Also read: Ratings Winner: Fox News Trumps CNN, MSNBC in Iowa Caucus Coverage


Meanwhile, Current executives have tired of Olbermann's controlling nature and his evident aversion to sharing the spotlight with recently-hired hosts Cenk Uygur and former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm.


How long senior management will tolerate what they term "Keith being Keith" remains to be seen.


A standoff looms as the New Hampshire primary approaches next Tuesday, with Olbermann demanding to anchor the coverage on his terms.


One individual said that if Current allows Olbermann to cover the results on his "Countdown" program, peace may return to the network fold. 


But for how long? An executive insisted that Olbermann decided to sit out the Iowa caucus. The anchor wanted to do his own Countdown telecast, and not be part of a larger team effort.


An internal memo written by Current President David Bohrman claiming Olbermann chose not to appear leaked, and Olbermann responded by blaming the executives, saying the conditions were not "acceptable."


But the real problems had been growing for months, even as the network has seen only minor growth with Olbermann.


Olbermann joined the network in February as the Chief News Officer, but several individuals said that it only took a few months for him to become dissatisfied with his new home.


The problems can be traced back to the ouster of CEO Mark Rosenthal in August, according to a knowledgeable individual.


"When Joel Hyatt bounced Mark Rosenthal so Hyatt could take his job, that's when things turned out to be difficult," one individual close to the situation said. "Once Rosenthal was out, there was no one with TV experience. David Bohrman has never run a news network."


Bohrman produced multiple news shows on CNN and ABC.


Olbermann and Rosenthal had developed a close working relationship as they attempted to transform Current into a destination for political news and analysis.   


The decision to bring in Uygur and Granholm as hosts was Bohrman's.


As he reportedly did at MSNBC, Olbermann has insisted on controlling every facet of his program --  the on-air script, the copy on the show's website and even how "Countdown" was marketed. He tweets multiple show plugs around 7 p.m. ET as a primary vehicle of promotion.


For his part, Olbermann has tired of how slowly Current was building. Constant power outages aggravated the irascible anchor. Moreover, a spotty car service apparently had guests arriving late.


"When it rains there, the entire show is in jeopardy," the individual said.

Demi Moore fears being unlovable

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:52 PM PST




Actress Demi Moore, who recently ended her six-year marriage to Ashton Kutcher, says her worst fear is finding she is "not worthy of being loved".


In an interview conducted just one week after Moore filed for divorce in November, the "Ghost" star opened up to her friend, British photographer Amanda De Cadenet, for the February edition of Harper's Bazaar magazine.


Moore, 49, did not directly address her split with Kutcher, the 33-year-old star of television comedy "Two and A Half Men." The marriage foundered after a San Diego woman went public about a brief fling she had with Kutcher.


But in a wide-ranging conversation with De Cadenet about insecurities, Moore said; "What scares me is that I'm going to ultimately find out at the end of my life that I'm really not lovable, that I'm not worthy of being loved. That there's something fundamentally wrong with me...and that I wasn't wanted here in the first place."


The marriage was Moore's third, and the 16-year age difference between her and Kutcher made them the subject of constant media attention.


Moore added that freedom for her meant, "Letting go of the outcome. Truly being in the moment. Not reflecting on the past. Not projecting into the future. That's freedom. Not caring more about what other people think than what you think. That's freedom.


"To not be defined by your wounds. Somebody wrote something to me that said, 'Don't let your wounds make you become someone you're not.' That's really powerful. And not taking life too seriously," she told De Cadenet.


The actress, who has recently lost weight and alarmed media by her thin appearance, also said she has had a "love-hate" relationship with her body but that now she accepted it.


"When I'm at the greatest odds with my body, it's usually because I feel my body's betraying me, whether that's been in the past, struggling with my weight and feeling that I couldn't eat what I wanted to eat, or that I couldn't get my body to do what I wanted it to do.


"I think I sit today in a place of greater acceptance of my body, and that includes not just my weight but all of the things that come with your changing body as you age to now experiencing my body as extremely thin -- thin in a way that I never imagined somebody would be saying to me, "You're too thin, and you don't look good."


Moore and De Cadenet are executive producers of a new TV interview series called "The Conversation" that is due to premiere on cable channel Lifetime later in 2012.

Yahoo names Paypal's Scott Thompson as new head

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:46 PM PST


US web portal Yahoo has named Scott Thompson, the president of online payments firm Paypal, as its new head.


He will fill the vacancy left by Carol Bartz, who was dismissed as chief executive in September after failing to turn around the company's fortunes.


Mr Thompson has headed Paypal, the payments division of eBay, since 2008, during which time its userbase doubled.


Yahoo is currently undergoing a strategic review as it has failed to keep up with rivals such as Google.


Continue reading the main story
Analysis


Tim Weber
Business editor, BBC News website
Yahoo's new boss has a Google-sized problem to tackle. The basics don't look bad. The share price has recovered from the awful lows hit during the summer. Profits are stagnant, but still respectable. But Yahoo's challenges are becoming ever more urgent.


First and foremost Mr Thompson has to define what Yahoo should be. Technology firm? Media company? Online services provider? Search engine? Internet portal? All of the above?


Yahoo has spread itself too thin, both managerially and technologically. It tried to compete with Microsoft, Google, AOL and everybody else at the same time - and failed. Yahoo is not known for innovation anymore. Meanwhile, Facebook snuck up from behind and ate Yahoo's most valuable asset - the time its users spend online.


Selling troubled Yahoo to some naive investor might be an option, but anti-trust challenges make the outcome of any bid doubtful - unless Yahoo's Chinese partner Alibaba steps forward. But that in itself would be a political Pandora's box.


The US firm's key products, beside its search engine, include photo sharing site Flickr and its webmail platform.


However, its domination of webmail - and the ancillary services it offers its email account holders - is under threat as younger users migrate to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.


'Dark knight'
"Scott brings to Yahoo a proven record of building on a solid foundation of existing assets and resources to reignite innovation and drive growth, precisely the formula we need," said Yahoo chairman Roy Bostock.


He said that Mr Thompson would focus on Yahoo's core businesses, but would also work closely with the board on its strategic review of what new investments to make and existing business lines to dispose of.


"He's a dark knight," said Stuart Miles of retail technology blogsite Pocket-lint. "He's a nuts-and-bolts guy rather than a captain of industry."


The company faces two choices, according to Mr Miles - either to focus on product innovation like Google has done, or else to focus on media by promoting itself as a content hub.


"Yahoo.com has a killer amount of news and information," he said. "A lot of people see Yahoo as a media company.


"But he's a tech guy rather than a media guy. It's not clear whether he will focus on innovating products (which Yahoo has tried and failed to do) or focus on content creation."


Continue reading the main story
Yahoo! Inc.
LAST UPDATED AT 04 JAN 2012, 21:01 GMT


price change %
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Markets gave the news a cool reception. Shares in Yahoo were down 3.1% at the close of trading in New York.


Shares in Paypal's parent, eBay, closed down 3.77%. The broader Nasdaq tech index closed up 0.33%.


Yahoo's share price has stagnated at about $15 ever since late 2008, refusing to go above $20, after it rejected an offer from Microsoft to buy up the company at $33 a share.


Revenues at the firm have stagnated, particularly compared with leading search engine Google, and Yahoo has had to lay off workers four times over the past three years.


The poor performance prompted Yahoo's board to ignominiously turf out Carol Bartz in September last year.


Tim Morse, who had been standing in as chief executive, will return to the role of chief financial officer when Mr Thompson takes over on 9 January.

baby friend cobra.mp4

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:19 PM PST

Men have 9 sex partners in entire life span

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:11 PM PST


An average man has nine sexual partners in his entire life, compared to women, who have four, a new study has revealed.


The Health Survey for England found that men reported having 9.3 different partners on average, with a quarter of men boasting of more than 10 conquests.


However, a third of those questioned admitted they were only estimating the number of notches on their bedposts, the Telegraph reported.


On the other hand, women had a mean average of 4.7 sexual partners in their lives so far, with a quarter having just one. They were most probably more certain of the number of lovers they had had.


According to the study, more women than men reported having sexual intercourse with only one partner of the opposite sex in their lifetime (24 per cent of women compared with 17 per cent of men), and conversely more men than women reported having sexual intercourse with 10 or more partners of the opposite sex (27 per cent of men and 13 per cent of women).


Among older women, monogamy was even more prevalent with 40 per cent of those aged between 55 and 69 asserting that they have only had one sexual partner ever.

Asia Hedge Funds Face a Year of Attrition

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:06 PM PST


Asia's hedge-fund industry is set to shrink in 2012 after a year in which growth stagnated, performance faltered and managers struggled to raise capital.
There were 123 Asian hedge funds that closed in the first 10 months of 2011, compared with 125 in all of 2010 and a record 184 in 2008 when the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEH) roiled markets, according to Singapore-based data provider Eurekahedge Pte. Artradis Fund Management Pte, once Singapore's biggest hedge fund, shut, while managers returning money to investors included CoreVest Partners and Kilometre Capital Management Ltd.
Asia's hedge funds are dwindling as most managers haven't made money as a business or for investors, said Peter Douglas, principal of Singapore-based GFIA Pte. Hedge funds in the region manage $125 billion, lower than the peak of $176 billion in 2007, according to Eurekahedge.
"2012 will be the year of major attrition," said Douglas, whose firm advises investors seeking to allocate money to hedge funds and runs a wealth-management business. "People's stamina will increasingly give out; regardless of your commitment and personal wealth, the number of years that you can go pursuing your dream without any kind of compensation is a stretch."
Asian hedge funds lost (EHFI38) on average 8.7 percent in 2011 through November, their second-worst (EHFI38) year on record, according to Eurekahedge. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index (MXAP) declined 17 percent during the same period amid concern that the European sovereign- debt crisis would lead to a global slowdown.
Difficult Climate
About 32 percent of Asia-focused hedge funds tracked by Eurekahedge generated positive returns in the first 11 months of 2011, down from 75 percent the year before.
Asian hedge fund startups also slowed. There were 122 new hedge funds in the region last year through October, compared with 183 in all of 2010, according to Eurekahedge.
"The investment climate is difficult with correlations remaining stubbornly high across global markets," said Ben Williams, a Hong Kong-based director of Asia-Pacific financing sales at Bank of America Merrill Lynch (MER). The first half of 2012 "is not going to be easy performance for anyone."
About 80 percent of Asia hedge funds are under their high watermarks, the historical peak net asset value above which they can charge performance fees on returns, Williams estimated based on data from Merrill Lynch and hedge-fund databases. Some have yet to rebound above their pre-2008 high watermarks.
Institutional Money
Institutional allocations have preferred bigger managers. Most of the $18.2 billion in capital inflows since the second half of 2009 went to larger funds, Eurekahedge said in a report in October.
Managers that joined the expanding pool of billion-dollar hedge funds in Asia last year included Dymon Asia Capital in Singapore, and Azentus Capital Management Ltd., the Hong Kong- based fund set up by former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. proprietary trader Morgan Sze that raised about $2 billion.
Dymon, which started in 2008 with capital from Tudor Investment Corp., plans to limit the size of its Dymon Asia Macro Fund at $2.5 billion, after assets rose to about $2.1 billion in December, Willy Ballmann, the firm's chief operating officer said. The fund gained about 20 percent after fees last year, he said.
"In Asia, we have a small number of managers that have been able to generate positive returns during the 2008 crisis and since then," said Stephane Pizzo, founder of Singapore- based hedge-fund investing firm Lotus Peak Capital Pte. "Those should be able to survive and possibly thrive in 2012, which might be even more challenging than this year."
Fortress Asia
Money is also flowing to the Asian desks of global hedge funds. Global-mandated funds accounted for 19 percent of the assets in Asia's hedge-fund industry as of August, compared with 12 percent in 2007, according to Eurekahedge.
Fortress Investment Group LLC, the New York-based manager of buyout and hedge funds, started an Asia-focused macro fund in March that gained 0.4 percent through November, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm didn't disclose the size of the Fortress Asia Macro Fund.
Artradis, which made $2.7 billion for investors as markets seesawed in 2007 and 2008, said in January last year it would close and return money to investors in its AB2 Fund and Barracuda Fund. Artradis managed about $800 million as of Dec. 31, 2010, compared with assets of almost $5 billion in 2008.
Traders who used to profit from price swings are struggling as record stock market volatility perseveres, making it more expensive to employ the strategy. Swings in the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index rose to a record in the second half of last year.
'Poor Risk-Reward'
"Playing capital markets has been a poor risk-reward," said Stephen Diggle, who set up Vulpes Investment Management after liquidating Artradis's volatility funds. "There has been no obvious easy opportunity. Governments have intervened a lot everywhere."
Singapore-based RSR Capital, set up by a group of derivatives traders from firms including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Barclays Capital, is returning most of outside investors' money in its hedge fund as bets on volatility are "not profitable enough," said Serge Handjian, one of the partners. RSR will continue to trade mainly the founding partners' money as it shifts its investment strategy.
"The implied value of those options is so high that the expected returns are not enough to offset the price that you pay," Handjian said.
RSR plans to open its Caerus Arbitrage Asia Fund to a small group of investors, said Handjian. The fund has been flat since it started trading in August 2010, and had assets of $62 million in May before client withdrawals, including a "decent amount" in July, ahead of the market's collapse in August, he said.
'Disappointing Performance'
K.H. Paik, the Singapore-based chief investment officer of CoreVest, decided to close down his fund at the end of last year and return money to investors after setting up the business 13 years ago, according to an e-mail to investors in December.
"Disappointing performance the last few years and market conditions that are not optimal for our strategy are the main reasons for the fund's closure," said the firm, which manages an Asian long-short equity fund focusing on Korea.
Boyer Allan Investment Management LLP told investors in December that it will liquidate most of its funds and shut the business set up by Jonathan Boyer and Nicholas Allan in 1998, said a person with knowledge of the matter.
Funds shut include the $235.9 million flagship Boyer Allan Pacific Fund (BOYAPAC), said the person who asked not to be identified because the information is private. The fund lost 19 percent in the first 11 months of 2011, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Kilometer, Pangu
The Pacific Fund returned more than 15 percent a year on average in its 13-year history, based on data in a May document distributed to potential investors. James Sweeney, Boyer Allan's Hong Kong-based chief executive officer, declined to comment
Kilometre Capital founder Chris Hsu decided to return investors' money in the fourth quarter because of health reasons, said a person with knowledge of the matter who declined to be identified as the information is private.
The Hong Kong-based hedge fund, which started trading in May 2010 with backing of Paloma Partners LLC and oversaw as much as $300 million, returned 47 percent in 2010 and lost 7 percent in the first five months of last year, said two people with knowledge of the matter. Steven Ho, Kilometre's operations manager, declined to comment.
Partners' Money
Pangu Capital shut down Pangu Opportunity Fund (PANGOPP), whose assets peaked at $23 million, after 22 months, said a person with knowledge of the matter. Pangu decided to return all capital in the fourth quarter after its main investor asked to redeem a large portion of its money in October, having added capital in August, the person said. After September, the investor and the fund's co-managers also differed on investment philosophies, the person said
The Greater China-focused fund generated positive returns in 2011 through August, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
LionRock Capital Pte, run by a founding partner of TPG-Axon Capital Management LP, said in July it would stop seeking outside investors for its hedge fund that will focus on managing the partners' money. The Singapore-based multistrategy fund had about $100 million of assets under management from $75 million of initial capital when founder Hari Kumar started it in 2009.
Nine Masts
"For smaller managers it's simply a question that they cannot afford the opportunity cost of continuing," said Paul Smith, chief executive officer of Hong Kong-based asset manager and hedge-fund distributor Triple A Partners Ltd. "I am pessimistic on asset raising. I can't see that things will improve. There is too much global uncertainty which keeps investors on the sidelines."
Still, Hong Kong-based Nine Masts Capital Ltd., set up by two former employees of Deutsche Bank AG's Saba proprietary trading desk and an ex-DKR Oasis Management Co., was one smaller hedge fund that managed to grow assets during 2011.
Nine Masts stopped accepting new money in September after assets hit $500 million, almost five times the beginning of the year figure, said a person with knowledge of the matter. It is expected to post a high single-digit return for 2011, the person said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. Elaine Davis, Nine Masts' chief operating officer, declined to comment.
"Both sizes of manager are finding asset raising in the current climate impossible unless their investment performance has been exceptional," said Triple A's Smith. "Business conditions have never been more inimical."

How Your Dreams Can Make You Smarter

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:03 PM PST


It's late in the evening: time to close the book and turn off the computer. You're done for the day. What you may not realize, however, is that the learning process actually continues — in your dreams.


It might sound like science fiction, but researchers are increasingly focusing on the relationship between the knowledge and skills our brains absorb during the day and the fragmented, often bizarre imaginings they generate at night. Scientists have found that dreaming about a task we've learned is associated with improved performance in that activity (suggesting that there's some truth to the popular notion that we're "getting" a foreign language once we begin dreaming in it). What's more, researchers are coming to recognize that dreaming is an essential part of understanding, organizing and retaining what we learn — and that dreams may even hold out the possibility of directing our learning as we doze.


(MORE: Paul: The Power of Smart Listening)


While we sleep, research indicates, the brain replays the patterns of activity it experienced during waking hours, allowing us to enter what one psychologist calls a neural virtual reality. A vivid example of such reenactment can be seen in this video, made as part of a 2011 study by researchers in the Sleep Disorders Unit at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. They taught a series of dance moves to a group of patients with conditions like sleepwalking, in which the sleeper engages in the kind of physical movement that is normally inhibited during slumber. They then videotaped the subjects as they slept. Lying in bed, eyes closed, the woman on the tape does a faithful rendition of the dance moves she learned earlier — "the first direct and unambiguous demonstration of overt behavioral replay of a recently learned skill during human sleep," writes lead author Delphine Oudiette.


Of course, most of us are not quite so energetic during sleep — but our brains are busy nonetheless. While our bodies are at rest, scientists theorize, our brains are extracting what's important from the information and events we've recently encountered, then integrating that data into the vast store of what we already know — perhaps explaining why dreams are such an odd mixture of fresh experiences and old memories. A dream about something we've just learned seems to be a sign that the new knowledge has been processed effectively. In a 2010 study published in the journal Current Biology, researchers at Harvard Medical School reported that college students who dreamed about a computer maze task they had learned showed a 10-fold improvement in their ability to navigate the maze compared to participants who did not dream about the task.


(MORE: Paul: America Needs More Geeks: How to Make Science Cool)


Robert Stickgold, one of the Harvard researchers, suggests that studying right before bedtime or taking a nap following a study session in the afternoon might increase the odds of dreaming about the material. But some scientists are pushing the notion of enhancing learning through dreaming even further, asking sleepers to mentally practice skills while they slumber. In a pilot study published in The Sport Psychologist journal in 2010, University of Bern psychologist Daniel Erlacher instructed participants to dream about tossing coins into a cup. Those who successfully dreamed about the task showed significant improvement in their real-life coin-tossing abilities. Experiments like Erlacher's raise the possibility that we could train ourselves to cultivate skills while we slumber. Think about that as your head hits the pillow tonight.


Paul, the author of Origins, is at work on a book about the science of learning. The views expressed are solely her own.

West Virginia makes BCS history in Orange Bowl

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:59 PM PST


MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The offensive fireworks that have dominated this bowl season continued Wednesday night with No. 22 West Virginia's record-setting 70-33 rout of 14th-ranked Clemson in the Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium.




By Brad Barr, US Presswire
West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin (1) celebrates with offensive linesman Chad Snodgrass after scoring a touchdown at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
Enlarge
By Brad Barr, US Presswire
West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin (1) celebrates with offensive linesman Chad Snodgrass after scoring a touchdown at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
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It was the sixth bowl to produce at least 70 total points, joining the Rose, Fiesta, Alamo, Military and Maaco bowls.
The Mountaineers led 49-20 at the half, the most points by one team in a half in any bowl in history, and set an overall scoring record for any bowl with 6:21 remaining.
BOX SCORE: West Virginia 70, Clemson 33
MORE: Will the LSU-Alabama rematch be better?
PHOTOS: Best images from NCAA bowl season
The game turned for good when Clemson's Andre Ellington fumbled on the West Virginia 1-yard line early in the second quarter and Darwin Cook took the turnover 99 yards for a touchdown. That gave the Mountaineers a 28-17 lead, a margin that kept expanding when Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd was intercepted and lost a fumble that led to two more West Virginia touchdowns before the half ended.
West Virginia (10-3) played without leading rusher Dustin Garrison, who went down with a knee injury in practice earlier in the week. The Mountaineers never missed him, as quarterback Geno Smith earned the game's most outstanding player award by completing 30 of 41 passes for an Orange Bowl-record 401 yards and BCS-game record six touchdowns. Shawne Alston delivered two short scoring runs and Tavon Austin had four touchdown catches.
Clemson (10-4) used Andre Ellington's 68-yard touchdown run and a 27-yard pass from Boyd to DeAndre Hopkins to take a 17-14 lead that set an Orange Bowl first-quarter record for points. West Virginia countered with a short scoring run by Alston and an 8-yard pass from Smith to Austin.
But after the Mountaineers moved in front 21-17 on Smith's 8-yard TD toss to Austin, Cook delivered his stunning turnaround recovery to set the course of the game. It was the longest defensive scoring play in Orange Bowl history.
West Virginia dashed whatever miracle comeback ideas Clemson harbored by scoring on its first two possessions of the second half on scoring passes from Smith to Stedman Bailey and Austin. Clemson lost a combined 23 yards on its first two possessions before finally ending its scoring drought when Boyd connected with Hopkins for a 28-yard touchdown late in the period to make it 63-26 entering the fourth quarter.
Clemson was in the Orange Bowl for only the second time and first since its national championship run in 1981 when it defeated Nebraska 22-15. This was the Tigers' first BCS appearance.
This might have been West Virginia's final game in the Big East. The Mountaineers have agreed to join the Big 12 and have filed a lawsuit against the Big East seeking an immediate exit.
West Virginia had played in 30 bowls but never the Orange. The Mountaineers only previous meeting with Clemson was a 27-7 loss in the 1989 Gator Bowl.

Rajinikanth's biography to hit stands on 12.12.12

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:55 PM PST


NEW DELHI: A biography of Rajinikanth will hit book stands in the superstar's true style on 12.12.12. 


Publishers Penguin Books India said that "Rajinikanth" by critic-producer Naman Ramachandaran will be the first and only definitive biography of one of India's biggest stars and the launch will commemorate his 62nd birthday on the unique date December 12, 2012. 


"The book will comprehensively analyse his meteoric career in the movie industry from his debut performance to his forthcoming blockbuster "Rana", releasing this year. 


"With never before presented insights on his personal and political life, this book, for the first time analyses the unmatched charm and magic of Rajinikanth that bridges the unique boy-next-door, down to earth persona, with that of his larger than life superstar image," the publishers said in a statement. 

Canadian bishop gets 15 months in jail in child porn case

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:53 PM PST


TORONTO: A Canadian Roman Catholic bishop who admitted he was addicted to looking at child pornography left court Wednesday a free man after being credited for time served in his 15 month sentence. 


Bishop Raymond Lahey was arrested at the Ottawa airport in 2009 after customs authorities found almost 600 pornographic photos of young teen boys on his laptop and a handheld device. 


Some of the porn involved adolescent boys engaged in sex acts while wearing a crucifix and rosary beads. 


The case was especially shocking to Canadians because Lahey had overseen a multimillion-dollar settlement for clerical sexual abuse victims in his diocese before he was charged. 


Lahey, 71, pleaded guilty last May to one count of importing child pornography and voluntarily went to jail to begin serving time before his formal sentencing. 


Ontario Court Justice Kent Kirkland on Wednesday gave Lahey two-for-one credit for the time he served and two years probation. Double credit is not unusual. The federal government got rid of the provision in 2010 but Lahey qualified for it because he was charged in 2009 before the legislation was enacted. 


Lahey will have to submit a DNA sample and register as a sex offender. He also will have to allow searches of his personal and office computers when required by the authorities. He has also been ordered to keep away from swimming pools, daycare centers and schools. 


Lahey said nothing as he left the Ottawa courthouse on Wednesday. 


Defense lawyer Michael Edelson called it ``exactly the right sentence.'' Edelson said Lahey's career in the church is over. He said Lahey wrote a letter to the Vatican last year asking to be defrocked but hasn't heard back yet. 


Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Wednesday that the Vatican had said that once the criminal court case was concluded, church authorities would consider which church law measures to take. Lombardi said it wasn't known when that decision would be taken but that he expected it would be made public. 


After Lahey pleaded guilty, the Vatican said the church would impose its own disciplinary measures against him but did not elaborate. 


Prelates who sexually abuse minors can be defrocked. Lesser punishments include being forbidden from celebrating Mass publicly. 


Edelson said Lahey has been in solitary confinement and the conditions have been dismal. 


"He's lost about 30 pounds (13 kilograms). He has a very severe skin condition now that he didn't have when he went in. It's been a very difficult period, and that's one of the reasons there is a two-for-one credit,'' Edelson said. 


At a sentencing hearing last month, Lahey offered an apology to his church and to victims of child pornography. He said his addiction to internet porn went against his moral principles. 


Lahey resigned as head of the Catholic diocese of Antigonish in Nova Scotia just before the charges became public. 


"This entire matter has caused a great deal of hurt, disappointment and anger within and outside of our diocese,'' new Antigonish Bishop Brian Dunn said in a statement. ``Church leaders are called to provide good example and to show moral integrity in their lives. When they commit serious moral failures, this can have a significant impact on the faith community. This is especially so when it involves the crime of child pornograhy.''

Washington governor Chris Gregoire supports gay marriage law

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:51 PM PST


SEATTLE: Washington governor Chris Gregoire announced her support for gay marriage legislation on Wednesday, potentially putting the state on track to become the nation's seventh to fully recognize same-sex unions. 


Gregoire, a Democrat in the final year of her second term, is backing legislation to be introduced before the Washington state legislature, which reconvenes next week. 


"It is time in Washington state for marriage equality," Gregoire told a news conference in the state capital of Olympia. "It is time, it's the right thing to do." 


Six US states currently allow same-sex marriage: New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Iowa. Gay marriage is also legal in the District of Columbia. 


Although Democrats hold majorities in both of Washington state's chambers, a bill is not certain to pass because some conservative Democrats have sided with Republicans on the issue. 


Gregoire's move comes a month after she joined forces with Rhode Island's governor to ask the US Drug Enforcement Administration to allow doctors to legally prescribe marijuana as a medical treatment. 


The 64-year old governor, who has held the office since 2004, said in June she would decline to run for a third term in November elections. 


Gregoire, a Catholic, has not always been a public supporter of gay marriage, but moved the issue to the fore in May 2009 when she signed a bill granting domestic partners the same rights as married couples as long as they did not conflict with federal law. Voters narrowly approved the measure in a referendum later in the year. 


The issue is still divisive in Washington, which tends to be split between a liberal coast, including Seattle, and a more conservative inland. 


Brian Brown, president of the 800,000-member, Washington, D.C.-based National Organization for Marriage, told Reuters his non-profit group would lobby against marriage equality in Washington state. 


"The people of this country believe that marriage is a union of a man and a woman," Brown said in a telephone interview. "I expect the legislature in Washington state will stand up for this commitment and vote to protect marriage." 


Gregoire's announcement was welcomed by gay marriage supporters. 


"We're supporting the legislative effort," said Zach Silk, campaign manager in Seattle for the group Washington United for Marriage, which includes gay rights, civil liberties, labor and religious leaders. "The governor is a long-time supporter of equality and fairness."

US State Department acknowledges 'goof up' in its India maps

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:49 PM PST




WASHINGTON: As US State Department on Thursday posted a new map of India reflecting its long standing official position on the country's geographical boundaries, its spokesman acknowledged of having made a " goof up" in this regard, which had resulted in a strong objection from New Delhi.


"We made a goof and we fixed it and we're now back in compliance with our own cartographical policy," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters at her daily news conference as she announced the posting of the new and corrected maps of India on the website of the State Department and its travel related sites.


The previous controversial maps, which showed parts of Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan, was removed by the State Department in November after India's strong objection.


India maintains that the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country.


"I'm thrilled and relieved to tell you that we have now put the revised maps up on our website," she said.


"What you will see when you look at these maps is that they reflect the fact that the United States takes no position on the dispute and urges all the parties to seek a peaceful resolution to resolving the claims," she said.


"What you'll see on the maps is consistent with what the US geographic position has been consistently: that there is a dashed line representing the 1972 Line of Control, reflecting Kashmir's unresolved status," Nuland said.


"We neglected to actually label that dotted line in the last round of maps. It has now been labeled. The maps also add our standard disclaimer with regard to Kashmir that says that names and boundary representations are not necessarily authoritative. As I said, that reflects the fact that this is in dispute and the US takes no position on the dispute," she said.

Ind vs Aus: Gambhir fifty leads Indian second innings on Day 3 at SCG

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:46 PM PST


NEW DELHI: Batting positively, Gautam Gambhir hit his 19th half-century off 54 deliveries on the third day of the second Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. 


Scorecard 


Gambhir and Rahul Dravid resumed the Indian second innings after tea. 


India lost their first wicket in the second innings when David Warner took a superb diving catch at point to dismiss Virender Sehwag (4) off Ben Hilfenhaus. 


The breakthrough came after captain Michael Clarke hit an unbeaten 329 and alongwith Michael Hussey (150*) put up a 334-run stand for the fifth wicket before declaring the Australian first innings at 659/4. 


Clarke declared after scoring an unbeaten 329 with Australia 468 runs ahead. He was just five away from going past Mark Taylor and Don Bradman's highest Test scores of 334. 


Clarke reached the magical figure of 300 soon after lunch. Clarke's record triple-century came in 432 balls with the help of 37 boundaries and a lone six. 


The duo also took Australia's lead past 400 runs after the lunch break. 


After resuming at 482/4, Australia added 101 runs in the first session to reach 583/4 at lunch, with Clarke on 293 and Hussey on 111 in an unbeaten 258-run partnership. 


In the process, Michael Clarke also broke the record for the highest individual Test score at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the best score by an Australian captain in Australia, beating Sir Don Bradman's 270. 


Hussey, who struck his 16th Test hundred off 188 balls with the help of 11 boundaries and one six, led Australian first innings with Clarke. 


Earlier on Day 2, skipper Clarke stood tall as he struck his maiden unbeaten double ton while Ricky Ponting marked his return to form with a sparkling 134 as Australia stretched their lead to a mammoth 291 to bat a hapless India out of the game in the second Test on Wednesday. 


Clarke, who batted the whole day for an unbeaten 251, and Ponting, who hit his first century in two years, toyed with the ineffective Indian bowling attack as Australia piled up 482 for four in reply to India's first innings 191 all out. 


It will now be a herculean task for the Indian batting line-up, which has come a cropper in three successive innings in the series, to escape from defeat with three days still left on a SCG pitch which does not have much for the bowlers. 


India searched for a wicket all day, from the old ball to the new ball but they could not stop the home batsmen from plundering runs at will. They could grab just one wicket -- that of Ponting -- at the expense of 366 runs, the break-up being 120, 123 and 133 runs from three sessions of play. 


While Ponting ended his century drought of two years, 17 Tests and 33 innings -- this being his 40th hundred in his 160th Test, Clarke notched up his 18th in his 78th Test. This was Clarke's second century of the Australian summer this year.

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:46 PM PST


NEW DELHI: Batting positively, Gautam Gambhir hit his 19th half-century off 54 deliveries on the third day of the second Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. 


Scorecard 


Gambhir and Rahul Dravid resumed the Indian second innings after tea. 


India lost their first wicket in the second innings when David Warner took a superb diving catch at point to dismiss Virender Sehwag (4) off Ben Hilfenhaus. 


The breakthrough came after captain Michael Clarke hit an unbeaten 329 and alongwith Michael Hussey (150*) put up a 334-run stand for the fifth wicket before declaring the Australian first innings at 659/4. 


Clarke declared after scoring an unbeaten 329 with Australia 468 runs ahead. He was just five away from going past Mark Taylor and Don Bradman's highest Test scores of 334. 


Clarke reached the magical figure of 300 soon after lunch. Clarke's record triple-century came in 432 balls with the help of 37 boundaries and a lone six. 


The duo also took Australia's lead past 400 runs after the lunch break. 


After resuming at 482/4, Australia added 101 runs in the first session to reach 583/4 at lunch, with Clarke on 293 and Hussey on 111 in an unbeaten 258-run partnership. 


In the process, Michael Clarke also broke the record for the highest individual Test score at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the best score by an Australian captain in Australia, beating Sir Don Bradman's 270. 


Hussey, who struck his 16th Test hundred off 188 balls with the help of 11 boundaries and one six, led Australian first innings with Clarke. 


Earlier on Day 2, skipper Clarke stood tall as he struck his maiden unbeaten double ton while Ricky Ponting marked his return to form with a sparkling 134 as Australia stretched their lead to a mammoth 291 to bat a hapless India out of the game in the second Test on Wednesday. 


Clarke, who batted the whole day for an unbeaten 251, and Ponting, who hit his first century in two years, toyed with the ineffective Indian bowling attack as Australia piled up 482 for four in reply to India's first innings 191 all out. 


It will now be a herculean task for the Indian batting line-up, which has come a cropper in three successive innings in the series, to escape from defeat with three days still left on a SCG pitch which does not have much for the bowlers. 


India searched for a wicket all day, from the old ball to the new ball but they could not stop the home batsmen from plundering runs at will. They could grab just one wicket -- that of Ponting -- at the expense of 366 runs, the break-up being 120, 123 and 133 runs from three sessions of play. 


While Ponting ended his century drought of two years, 17 Tests and 33 innings -- this being his 40th hundred in his 160th Test, Clarke notched up his 18th in his 78th Test. This was Clarke's second century of the Australian summer this year.

Hrithik Roshan creates a stir

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:42 PM PST


Hrithik Roshan and Karan Johar are coming up with new ways of marketing their upcoming release Agneepath. 


Despite a nagging back problem, Hrithik is still gung-ho about promoting the film. He's super excited to have his fans watch his film and is going all out to make sure it's promoted on every level. 


He has even shot a promo for a sports channel for the India Australia series, which is now known as the Agneepath Series. The promo of the film has audiences excited and generated great buzz about the project. As part of the markerting strategy, he also launched the Mandwa Samachar, a 'newspaper' that also serves as the film's press kit and will be given to audiences across all theatres. Co-star Sanjay Dutt is equally excited and this is the first time he is actively taking a keen interest in the promotions. With marketing whiz Karan Johar's expertise, the film is already high on buzz and is the year's most keenly anticipated release. 

Hrithik Roshan creates a stir

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:42 PM PST


Hrithik Roshan and Karan Johar are coming up with new ways of marketing their upcoming release Agneepath. 


Despite a nagging back problem, Hrithik is still gung-ho about promoting the film. He's super excited to have his fans watch his film and is going all out to make sure it's promoted on every level. 


He has even shot a promo for a sports channel for the India Australia series, which is now known as the Agneepath Series. The promo of the film has audiences excited and generated great buzz about the project. As part of the markerting strategy, he also launched the Mandwa Samachar, a 'newspaper' that also serves as the film's press kit and will be given to audiences across all theatres. Co-star Sanjay Dutt is equally excited and this is the first time he is actively taking a keen interest in the promotions. With marketing whiz Karan Johar's expertise, the film is already high on buzz and is the year's most keenly anticipated release. 

Sudhir Mishra is upset over rumours

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:39 PM PST


Director Sudhir Mishra is upset about news of him not being able to cast his muse Chitrangada Singh in his favourite project "Mehrunnisa".


As rumours go, UTV Motion Pictures were not keen on having Chitrangada as the lead in Mishra's ambitious project. As per reports the production house wanted Katrina Kaif in the lead roles, a decision with which Sudhir Mishra wasn't too happy. Mishra wanted his favourite actress Chitrangada to play Mehrunnisa, the story of a girl who drives a wedge in the 50-year old friendship between two friends essayed by Amitabh Bahchcan and Rishi Kapoor.


But rubbishing such rumours Mishra says, "It's all false news. It's just people's over active fertile imagination at work. There is no talk of Mehrunnisa just now. Even the script is not completely ready so how can I or UTV be considering the cast? Atleast I don't like to function in such a haphazard way. I first get my script straight and only then approach people for the role. Till now we havn't even asked people if they would be interested in acting in the film, leave alone casting them in the role. So how can I be upset about Chitrangada being there or not in the film? It's all rubbish," he urges.


As of now Mishra is busy shooting another film with Chitrangada Singh and Arjun Rampal along with Lucknow boy Asheesh Kapur.

Anushka Sharma’s ‘background’ check

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:37 PM PST


Anushka Sharma is fond of food, loves watching sitcoms and is always on the lookout for good scripts... But none of these are her weaknesses. 


In an exclusive chat with zoOm, her close friend Ranveer Singh revealed what made Anushka tick, and sold her out! "The biggest weakness she has, and one that can easily earn you a spot on her 'Friends' list, is if you draw a connection to her background. Just say that you're from Bangalore, she will give you all the attention. Or say that you come from an Army background, and you'll be in. Say you're from St Carmel's and she'll be sold. She'll be the best of friends with you," he revealed. Okay, so now we know how to bell the cat... just do a quick 'background' check! 


For exclusive interviews, B-Town parties and events, watch B Tonite from Monday - Friday at 10 pm, only on zoOm - India's No 1 Bollywood channel.

Insight: Rivals set to pounce on Santorum's past

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:32 PM PST


Rick Santorum's last-minute surge in the Iowa caucus brought him neck-and-neck with Mitt Romney in the first contest of the 2012 race to select a Republican presidential candidate. But it came too late to attract the harsh scrutiny usually visited on front-runners.


Only in recent days have questions emerged about his stand on abortion, his votes in Congress, and his endorsements of Romney over John McCain in 2008, and Senator Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey in 2004.


If rival candidates decide to go negative on Santorum - as they have on Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul -- they have plenty of material with which to work.


Santorum is beloved among "values voters" for his stand on abortion, gay marriage and other social issues. But his record is rich in polarizing policy positions and questionable associations that support the charge of "Washington insider."


For example, his million-dollar-plus 2010 income included payments from a lobbying firm, an energy company engaged in controversial "hydrofracking" and a hospital conglomerate that was sued for allegedly defrauding the federal government.


"The spotlight is blinding, and if you squint or stumble even slightly, it gets even more intense," said Dan Schnur, a former Republican campaign consultant who now heads the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at University of Southern California. "Santorum hasn't faced it yet, but it's about to hit him in a huge way."


Santorum says he's ready. "This isn't my first rodeo. I've been in tough races," Santorum said Monday in Iowa. "I've had the national media crawling up anywhere they could crawl. ... It's not going to be fun."


EARMARKS


Texas Governor Rick Perry fired an opening salvo last weekend, charging that Santorum, 53, was a big spender in Congress who voted to raise the debt ceiling and approved such pork-barrel projects as Alaska's Bridge to Nowhere, a tea pot museum in North Carolina and an indoor rain forest in Iowa. (link.reuters.com/nug85s)


Santorum, a lawyer with working-class roots, was 32 when he was first elected to Congress in 1990 from a western Pennsylvania district. He served two terms in the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate. He served two Senate terms from 1995-2007, before losing his seat in a landslide.

Santorum declined to comment for this article, but on other occasions he has defended his earmarks. "Congress appropriates money," Santorum told "Good Morning America" this week. "That is what Congress is supposed to do."

As a senator, Santorum went further, playing a key role in an effort by Republicans in Congress to dictate the hiring practices, and hence the political loyalties, of Washington's deep-pocketed lobbying firms and trade associations, which had previously been bipartisan.

Dubbed "the K Street Project" for the Washington street that houses most of these groups, the initiative was launched in 1989 by lobbyist Grover Norquist, whose sole aim, he said, was to encourage lobbying firms to "hire people who agree with your worldview, not hire for access."

But the rubric "K Street Project" came to encompass the entire climate of cozy cooperation between Republicans and lobbyists.

When Republicans won control of the House in 1994, House Majority Leader Tom Delay and others organized regular meetings with lobbyists that reviewed K Street job openings with an eye toward filling them with party loyalists, who would in turn steer support and donations to the members.

By 2001, Sen. Santorum was also holding one-hour breakfast meetings with lobbyists on alternating Tuesday mornings at 8:30 a.m.

In 2004 he denied being involved with Norquist's effort to staff K Street. But Santorum convened Senate Republicans to discuss the appointment of Democrat Dan Glickman as head the Motion Picture Association, according to Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill.

"Yeah, we had a meeting, and yeah, we talked about making sure that we have fair representation on K Street. I admit that I pay attention to who is hiring, and I think it's important for leadership to pay attention," he told the paper at the time.

In 2006, as the influence-peddling scandal that sent lobbyist Jack Abramoff to jail unfolded, Santorum said he was ending the breakfasts in his conference room. However, his staff confirmed to Washington newspapers that they resumed almost immediately, on the same day and at the same time, at a location off the Capitol grounds.

Abramoff never attended Santorum's breakfasts. "I was focused on the House," he told Reuters. Yet the mushrooming scandal about Abramoff's activities cast a harsh light on all aspects of the lobbyist huddles on Capitol Hill.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal government watchdog group, named Santorum among three "most corrupt" senators in 2005 and 2006, accusing him of "using his position as a member of Congress to financially benefit those who have made contributions to his campaign committee and political action committee." (Link to 2006 report: link.reuters.com/wug85s)

LIFE AFTER CONGRESS

The blowback from the K Street Project contributed to Sen. Santorum's crushing 18-percentage-point defeat in his 2006 reelection bid. His image as a conservative firebrand who made polarizing comments about abortion, gays and single mothers played a role as well, as did Santorum's full-throated support of the war in Iraq.

A few weeks after he left Congress, although his law license had expired, Santorum landed a job in the Washington office of Pittsburgh-based law firm Eckert Seamans. Lawyers at the firm had given Santorum 45 political contributions totaling $24,400 while he was in Congress, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

As senator, Santorum "was a friend of the firm," said Timothy Ryan, Eckert Seamans' chief executive officer. Santorum helped make introductions and did other "relationship work," including providing Eckert Seamans' clients with business and strategy counseling, Ryan said.

Since then, thanks to his political contacts, Santorum has cobbled together a comfortable living as a political pundit, policy advocate and corporate consultant. His 2010 financial disclosure form shows that the self-described "grandson of a coal miner" earned at least $900,000 that year.

* Fox News paid him $239,153 to appear as an occasional contributor;

* Radio Salem paid him $83,999 to serve as a guest host on "Bill Bennett's Morning in America" radio show;

* The Philadelphia Inquirer paid him $23,000 as a freelance columnist.

* The Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative advocacy group, paid him $217,385 as a senior fellow.

Santorum also collected a total of $332,500 in consulting fees from three corporations:

* $65,000 from the American Continental Group lobbying firm

* $142,500 from Consol Energy

* $125,000 from the Clapham Group, a Virginia-based corporation started by longtime Santorum staffer Mark Rodgers. On its website, Clapham says its mission is to "influence culture upstream of the political arena."

"Rick's been around Washington for quite some time," American Continental president David Urban said. "When he looks at the tea leaves he may see things differently than others. We'd chat about which way different pieces of legislation might be heading. He is a very bright guy so I paid for his insight, and he's a friend, someone whose advice I could trust."

American Continental represents Microsoft, the American Gaming Association, Monsanto and the Association of Mortgage Investors among others.

A spokesperson for Consol Energy said that they "engaged Senator Santorum to provide strategic counsel on a variety of public policy-related issues."

The most high-profile issue for the company recently has been the gas mining technique called hydrofracking, which critics allege has in some places polluted ground water.

Santorum sang the technique's praises at a campaign stop in Iowa, saying that in Pennsylvania "we are drilling, baby, drilling."

In addition, Santorum served on the board of a for-profit hospital chain, Universal Health Services (UHS), where he received $341,000 in compensation from 2007 to 2010.

During Santorum's four years on the board, UHS's McAllen, Texas, hospital group was sued for defrauding Medicare through "illegal compensation to doctors in order to induce them to refer patients to hospitals within the group," according to a Justice Department press release in 2009. The McAllen group agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying $27.5 million.

The next year, the Justice Department sued a Virginia UHS facility that caters to boys ages 11 to 17 alleging that the facility "billed Medicaid for inpatient psychiatric care that was not provided, in violation of federal and state Medicaid requirements, and falsified records to cover up their serious violations."

When asked about the Virginia case. Santorum told Yahoo News, "Any investigation, you obviously engage and fully cooperate with it, and that's what we did.. that's part of the responsibility of directors."

He resigned from the UHS board in June 2011. During the third quarter of 2011, UHS reached a tentative financial settlement of the Virginia case. Allen Miller, president and CEO of UHS, is a longtime supporter of Santorum, who has contributed $6,850 to his campaigns and $11,000 to his leadership PAC since 1999.

America's Foundation is a leadership PAC, or political action committee, affiliated with Santorum since 1998. Leadership PACs were created so that congressional leaders could raise money for less senior candidates of their party, and they are not as closely monitored as other PACs by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Since 1998, America's Foundation has raised $11.8 million and given $1.1 million - or 9 percent to candidates, according to the Center For Responsive Politics. Most of the money has been spent on direct mail fundraising appeals on various issues.

Also during his 2006 reelection bid, Santorum's supporters created a different sort of political action group they named Softer Voices. As a "527" organization under Internal Revenue Service rules, Softer Voices was able to accept unlimited contributions from a small group of wealthy donors.

Because Santorum was struggling with women voters, the group created a website with testimonials from women. The FEC then chided the group for not registering as a political operation, and Softer Voices chose to cease operations.

IT TAKES A FAMILY

A devout Catholic with seven children, Santorum has taken positions on many social issues that may not play well with moderate voters and others that may trouble the conservative base.

He has vowed to reinstate the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy on gays in the military and annul all gay marriages, which are legal in New Hampshire, the site of the next Republican primary.

He opposes legal abortion, yet he supported a bill that allows it in the case of rape or incest or danger to the mother, telling David Gregory on Meet the Press last week that this was a calculated compromise to move toward the greater goal of ending abortion.

Similarly, he endorsed fellow Pennsylvanian, Sen. Arlen Specter, who is pro-choice, over anti-abortion primary challenger Pat Toomey in 2004. That move became even more offensive to conservatives when a victorious Specter went on to switch parties and cast a crucial vote for President Obama's health care plan.

Santorum has said his was a "political decision" based on his calculations of how to best influence upcoming Supreme Court appointments.

Santorum presents family values as the cornerstone of his political convictions. But here, too, his behavior might alienate as many voters as it attracts.

In 1996, after his wife, Karen, gave birth to a child who lived just two hours, the Santorums brought the dead baby Gabriel home to meet the other children, which Karen subsequently described in a book.

The Santorums are also proud homeschoolers. They moved to a Virginia suburb of Washington DC as soon as he was elected to the Senate in 1995, but still cost their Pennsylvania school district more than $100,000 because their children were enrolled in an online charter school based there from 2001-2005.

The district was required to pay the tuition of students who attended this type of school via the Internet. The state of Pennsylvania eventually covered some of these education costs. Santorum's defense was that he still owned a house in the district and paid property taxes. But this issue, too, became a factor in his ill-fated 2006 reelection campaign.

In that race, against Democrat Bob Casey, Jr., the attacks were coming so fast and furious that Santorum decided to issue a pamphlet, titled "50 Things You May Not Know About Rick Santorum." (link.reuters.com/gyg85s)

In an effort to soften his image as a hard-line social conservative, it touted Santorum's efforts to raise the minimum wage, expand stem-cell research, battle AIDS, guarantee Social Security benefits, protect Food Stamps, and increase funding for the Head Start preschool program. It also advocated passing tough new lobbying laws

The pamphlet no longer appears on any of Santorum's websites, and its claims often appear at odds with his behavior in Congress - where, for example, he advocated privatizing social security and condemned federal funding for stem cell research.

But in the overheated climate of today's opposition research, it is likely to provide ammunition to Santorum's opponents on both his left and his right.

Akshay Kumar bags Appadi Podu

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:29 PM PST




While it was reported that Sonu Sood had bought the rights of the song " Appadi Podu" which he was planning to use in his forthcoming film, we now hear that Akshay Kumar's managed to convince Sonu and has got the rights for the chartbuster, which he will be using in his upcoming film, "Naam Hai Boss".


Says a source, "Sonu had got the rights from the audio label but Akki made a special request to him and has now bought the rights of the song."


"Naam Hai Boss", the source adds, is a remake of the 2010 Malayalam blockbuster "Pokkiri Raja", with Mammootty and Prithviraj in the lead. While Akshay will be playing Mammootty's role, Prithviraj's role will be played by Pakistani model-turned-actor Imran Abbas. The film will be directed by Anthony D'Souza.

Madhuri Dixit to get immortalised in wax at Tussauds

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:26 PM PST




Bollywood fans will be thrilled to know that the next Bollywood star to get waxed at Madame Tussauds, London is none other than Madhuri Dixit Nene. 


She now joins the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor who have been waxed at Tussauds. 


Madame Tussauds, London revealed the news by stating, "The Madame Tussauds team are so excited about 2012 - and we've got another new figure announcement for you. The next Bollywood star to join Madame Tussauds London will be Madhuri Dixit-Nene. She will be joining the attraction in March 2012." 


In a statement, Tussauds added "The award winning actress Madhuri Dixit-Nene is the latest Indian film star set to join the A-list line up here at Madame Tussauds London. Madhuri, famed for her dazzling dancing, has already given a sitting to our sculptors in Mumbai and is expected to unveil her likeness here in March. 


The decision to include Madhuri is set to delight Bollywood fans around the world as we are constantly inundated with requests to feature Madhuri. Her figure will make a stunning new addition to our Bollywood area which continues to grow in popularity every year. With so many awards to her name and a career spanning over 25 years she undoubtedly deserves her place here and we expect huge interest in the figure when she takes up residence next year! 


"I am really thrilled I am going to be included at Madame Tussauds. It's a real mark of achievement and to be recognized for ones art and work. It's also wonderful to be following in the footsteps of other Bollywood stars and some of my personal heroes!" said Madhuri 


To ensure total authenticity, Madhuri will be closely involved in the creation process, collaborating with our team to agree the pose and even donating a Manish Malhotra sari for her figure to wear. Her hair will flow loosely over her shoulders, styled to show off her long tresses to full effect. 


Madhuri's figure will be in good company here at Madame Tussauds London joining five of the biggest names in Indian cinema - Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. The figure will cost £150,000 to create and take a team of sculptors, hair, makeup and wardrobe experts four months to create."

Dhoom 3 delayed?

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:21 PM PST




Aamir Khan is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that Dhoom 3 is a success. 


He's taking pains to make sure his character - an extremely fit and agile man - looks the part. However, his enthusiasm and dedication, has delayed the project. The unit was supposed to go on an outdoor schedule to New York in 2012, but now, it has been pushed back to early 2013. 


Apparently, Aamir wants to take more time to work on his physique. A source reveals, "He wants to make sure he looks his best and is spending extra time to get in shape. As a result, he has asked the production house to push back the US schedule by a few months."
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