Oil hovers below $102 ahead of Europe meeting (AP)

SINGAPORE ? Oil prices hovered below $102 a barrel Monday in Asia amid investor concern that a meeting between the leaders of Germany and France won't yield a plan that will keep Europe from recession this year.

Benchmark crude for February delivery rose 13 cents to $101.69 a barrel at midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 25 cents to settle at $101.56 in New York on Friday.

In London, Brent crude was up 60 cents at $113.66 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

Crude traded above $100 last week amid growing trader concern that tension between Iran and Western powers could disrupt Middle East oil supplies. However, some analysts expect a slowing global economy led by a likely recession in Europe will help pull down oil prices.

"The deterioration in fundamentals should accelerate as we move into seasonally weaker demand in the months ahead," Morgan Stanley said in a report. "If Mideast tensions recede, the risk premium built into crude is likely to fade, sending prices lower."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are scheduled to meet later Monday to discuss fiscal coordination within the eurozone and plans to boost the continent's flagging economy.

An Iranian newspaper on Sunday quoted a senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard saying that Tehran's leadership has decided to order the closure of the key Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf if the country's oil exports are undermined by U.S. or European sanctions.

The U.S. has recently enacted new sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and its ability to sell petroleum abroad over Tehran's nuclear program. Washington says Tehran is trying to develop weapons, while Iran denies the charges.

Closure of the strait "has a very, very low chance of happening," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz in Singapore. "If Iran cut the strait, its own oil wouldn't get to market and it wouldn't get oil revenue. I consider that a war of words, sabre-rattling."

In other Nymex trading, heating oil gained 1.7 cents at $3.09 per gallon and gasoline futures added 1.1 cents at $2.76 per gallon. Natural gas futures were down 3.8 cents to $3.02 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120109/ap_on_re_as/oil_prices

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Mia B. Love ? A conservative political star rises in ? Utah - Le?gal In ...

If you haven?t heard of Ludmya ?Mia? B. Love before, you will be hearing a lot more about her.? Mia has the potential to be the next big thing in conservative politics. And you heard about her here first!

Mia is the American-born daughter of Haitian immigrants, mother of three children, served on the PTA, city council and now is?Mayor of Sarotoga Springs, Utah.? She is an avid runner and shooter, and I?m sure the readers will love this tidbit:

She has a concealed carry permit and often packs a gun. Her husband introduced her to shooting on their first date. His first gift to her was a rifle.

She?s also recently announced that she?s running for Congress in the?newly created 4th District of Utah.? This morning she rolled out a video to introduce herself to a wider audience:

What motivated Mia?to get into politics? It started?with the controversy over reciting the Pledge of Allegiance without the words ?Under God? in it, as this 2009?article from when she was running for Mayor reflects:

Her political involvement began seven years ago, when she heard talk about taking the phrase ?Under God? from the Pledge of Allegiance. At that time, Love taught her then 2-year-old daughter to recite the pledge with the reference to deity in it, so she would know it the way her mother had learned it in school.

If?elected, Mia would be the first?black female Republican member of?Congress, and she plans on taking an aggressive role in dealing with the Congressional Black Caucus:

If elected in November, Love would be the first black Republican woman in Congress and Utah?s first black representative. She said she would join the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C., should she win.

?Yes, yes. I would join the Congressional Black Caucus and try to take that thing apart from the inside out,? she said?.

?It?s demagoguery. They sit there and ignite emotions and ignite racism when there isn?t,? Love said. ?They use their positions to instill fear. Hope and change is turned into fear and blame. Fear that everybody is going lose everything and blaming Congress for everything instead of taking responsibility.?

In September 2011,?Mia wrote a guest column at The Daily Caller, CBC members should stop demonizing tea partiers:

I have yet to meet a tea party member who wants to see me ?hanging on a tree,? as U.S. Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana recently suggested. He says the tea party? considers me a second-class citizen. In truth, as a black conservative woman in? Utah, I have been welcomed into the arms of a freedom-loving movement. The tea?party reflects the principles of freedom and prosperity black Americans have?long fought to win.

While race obviously will be a topic of discussion, Mia defines herself as a mother, wife, Utahan, and American:

As the videos above evidence, Mia voices an agenda of individual responsibility and liberty.

Mia is a fiscal conservative, having helped her town dig out from under a multi-million dollar deficit through cost cutting.??Mia wants to take that agenda to Congress:

In order to balance the budget while cutting taxes, Love said she would start by abolishing the Department of Education and the Department of Energy, delegating their responsibilities to the states.

She said she would slash regulations and open up federal land to energy drilling.

Love recounted how her parents fled Haiti with $10 in their pocket, settling in Brooklyn and making a life for themselves.

?I had a front-row seat for two people living the American dream,? she said. ?I will not stand by as we leave our children a legacy of debt and dependency.?

The 4th District was created because Utah gained an extra seat as a result of the Census.? There is no incumbent, but current Democratic Congressman?Jim Matheson will be running in the 4th District because his prior district was carved into four pieces in redistricting. (It?s okay to chuckle.)? So while this is not a chance to flip a district, it is a chance to eliminate a Democratic seat in the House.

Defeating Matheson is a priority for?the NRCC, which already has run an?ad against him.

There are three Republicans with whom Mia will be competing for the Republican nomination, long-term State Senator Carl Wimmer, State Senator Stephen Sandstrom, and lawyer Jay Cobb.

The process in Utah is that there will be caucuses with Republican delegates and then a convention in the spring.? If no candidate gets 60% of the delegate votes, there will be a primary between the top two.? A primary is considered likely.

Both the Republican contest and the general election are expected to be close.? Recent polling has Matheson in the lead, but that?s mainly due to better name recognition; Mia?s name recognition is low, giving her a good opportunity to grow her share of the vote.

I reached out to Mia recently and she was kind enough to call me.? We had a great discussion.?? Mia is pro-life, pro-Tea Party, pro-Israel, and pro-2nd Amendment.? (In case you were wondering, the rifle her husband gave her as a first gift was a Marlin .22 caliber with a stainless steel barrel and scope, and she packs a Glock 26 9 mm.)

Mother, runner, shooter, Mayor, small government conservative who got into politics for the right reasons, unafraid to take on the powers that be ? I know you?re thinking what I?m thinking.

I?m making Utah-04 one of my focus races for 2012, and will do what I can to help Mia get the nomination and defeat Matheson.

Mia?s website is Love4Utah.com, she?s on Twitter @MiaBLove,?Facebook?and YouTube.

Mia she needs to raise funds pretty quickly to catch up with her competitors, to get her message out to Utah delegates, and to build the infrastructure for a primary race and general election.? You can donate here.

Just do it.? Operation Counterweight?has started.

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/mia-b-love-a-conservative-political-star-rises-in-utah/

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National Blood Donor Month: Honoring Donors Who Give Hundreds Of Pints (SLIDESHOW)

When Dean Willis' father-in-law needed blood after getting heart-bypass surgery in 1975, he unhesitatingly stepped in to help, News4ajax.com reports. Since then, the coveted O-positive blood donor has given 100 gallons of blood and saved 2,000 lives. "I guess it's a clich?, but you know, it makes me feel good," Willis told the news outlet.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/national-blood-donor-mont_n_1193156.html

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Weak Dollar, Chinese Buying Supporting Gold Prices

A weakening dollar combined with bargain hunting, short covering and Chinese physical demand Monday to lift gold prices modestly.

The steady gains so far this year, however, leave the metal shy of its critical 200-day moving average in the $1,630 area, a target that if reached could spark a return to levels seen last year.

Although Indian demand was weak, Barclays Capital said in a note, "demand from China remains healthy ahead of the Lunar holidays, volumes traded on the Shanghai Gold Exchange have started the year on a positive note, exceeding the lower volumes traded in November and early December."

The dollar spent the day declining in Asian and European trading, which offered support for gold. The dollar index, which gauges the strength of the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, including the euro, was down 0.33 percent to 81.32.

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Gold prices have been rising modestly but steadily since Dec. 29 when they closed at $1,540, attracting investor interest.

Many commodity indexes will rebalance their portfolios this week and because gold prices were strong performers last year - posting a 9.1 percent gain on the Comex - creating headwinds for the yellow metal.

Meanwhile, tensions over Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz offered support for both crude oil and gold, which often move in the same direction.

Expectations that Eurozone leaders will continue muddling through their sovereign debt crisis without a convincing fix for either the single currency or the acutely distressed European banks also sustains interest in gold, which has gained in value for five of the last six trading sessions.

"The current global macroeconomic environment is very conducive for higher gold prices," Sundeep Sikka, Mumbai- based chief executive officer of the money manager, which runs Indies's second-biggest gold exchange-traded fund, told Bloomberg.

"The fundamental outlook for gold remains extremely bullish and paints a rosy picture for gold bulls. We see gold continuing to attract interest even in 2012. Investors are looking for a haven to park their money as the market sentiment?for equity is uncertain."

Gold for February delivery was up $1.30 to $1,618, while spot gold rose $2.42 to $1,619.06.

Silver for March delivery increased 25 cents to $28.93, while spot silver added 25 cents to $29.

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Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/278653/20120109/weak-dollar-chinese-buying-supporting-gold-prices.htm

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Eric Church Ready to Pour More Blood, Sweat and Beers in 2012

Beth Gwinn, Getty Images

Eric Church's 2012 Blood, Sweat and Beers tour was already shaping up to be one of the year's most exciting concert treks. Now, the entertainer is getting ready for his already packed schedule to get even more full.

Having already broken superstar Jason Aldean's record for the highest number of tickets ever sold for a live event at the Landers Center in Southaven, Miss., and with near sell-outs at several other venues, Eric has added stops in Atlantic City, New York City, Orlando, Nashville, Minneapolis and more to his tour itinerary. Among the major venues Eric will play for the first time ever are Nashville's Bridgestone Arena and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo.

Tickets for upcoming dates are on sale now and fans also have the option to purchase a special VIP Package where they'll be treated to an exclusive pre-show party and intimate acoustic performance from Eric backstage.

Much like a particular rock icon immortalized in Eric's 'Springsteen,' from the chart-topping album, 'Chief,' the North Carolina native has earned from fans and critics alike for his high-octane live performances, even if the song he penned with the Boss in mind didn't actually come from an incident at a Springsteen show!

"I have such a reverence for Bruce Springsteen's career and how he's built it," Eric tells The Boot. "The interesting part is it's [about] a love affair that takes place in an amphitheater between two people. It didn't happen with Springsteen, ironically, it happened with another artist. I went to a concert when I was younger with a girl, and to this day when I hear that artist, it's the soundtrack to that girl. I never think about her any other time, except when that song is on. That's where the 'Springsteen' came from, and he seemed to be the perfect guy to craft that story around because of my love for him."

The Blood, Sweat and Beers tour kicks off Jan. 19 in Fort Smith, Ark. Eric will take time out in February for the Grammy Awards, where he's nominated for for Best Country Album. Kepp track of his upcoming tour dates here.

Newly-announced dates on Eric Church's Blood, Sweat and Beers tour:

March 9 Jonesboro, Ark., ASU Convocation Center
March 14 New York, NY, Hammerstein Ballroom
March 15 Binghamton, NY, Broome County Arena
March 16 Reading, Pa., Sovereign Center
March 17 Atlantic City, NJ, Etess Arena
March 22 Estero, Fla., Germain Arena
March 23 Orlando, Fla., UCF Arena
March 24 Tallahassee, Fla., Tallahassee Civic Center
April 12 Tupelo, Miss., BancorpSouth Arena
April 14 Auburn, Ala., Alpha Psi Rodeo
April 19 Evansville, Ind., Ford Center
April 20 St Louis, Mo., Chaifetz Arena
April 21 Pikeville, Ky., - Eastern KY Expo Center
April 26 Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Arena
April 27 Lexington, Ky., Rupp Arena
April 28 Bloomington, Ill., US Cellular Coliseum
May 3 Springfield, Mo., JQH Arena
May 5 Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Arena
May 10 Toledo, Ohio, Huntington Center
May 11 Hoffman Estates, Ill., Sears Centre
May 12 Youngstown, Ohio, Covelli Center
May 17 Minneapolis, Minn., Target Center
May 18 Topeka, Kan., Landon Arena
May 19 Morrison, Colo., Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Watch Eric Perform Live in Our Studio

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheBootCountryMusic/~3/6VwY_Kj0L_Q/

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China stops unapproved stem cell treatments (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China has ordered a halt to all unapproved stem cell treatments and clinical trials, state media reported on Tuesday, as Beijing seeks to rein in the largely untested stem cell therapies now on offer across the country.

The Ministry of Health will stop accepting new applications for stem cell programs, a ban that will last until July and comes as China begins a one-year program to regulate the sector better, Xinhua cited a ministry spokesman as saying.

A growing number of hospitals and clinics in large cities in China have been offering stem cell therapies for treatment of diseases ranging from cancer and Alzheimer's to spinal cord injuries, treatments that are backed by little or no scientific evidence and which are considered at best experimental.

Some of these involve large general hospitals where patients pay thousands -- or even tens of thousands -- of dollars for treatments that are advertised online, which attract both Chinese patients and those from overseas, sparking what experts say is a dubious type of medical tourism.

According to patients, doctors and relatives of patients who spoke to Reuters earlier, patients have come away with little or no improvement and a number have died. Receipts seen by Reuters indicate that one of these hospitals is run by the Chinese army, or Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA).

The ministry spokesman said health providers could no longer charge money for experimental stem cell applications under the new order, which was jointly issued by China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).

CAN IT BE ENFORCED?

Stem cell scientists and experts on medical ethics welcomed the development but they questioned how the health ministry could enforce the new order and reign in powerful arms of the Chinese government, like the army.

"One thing that is clear about the practice of stem cell medicine in China is that a lot of hospitals are affiliated with government organizations such as the army, the PLA, and the domestic police forces," said Doug Sipp, a researcher into the ethics of stem cell applications at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Japan.

Sipp said treatments were normally only introduced after they have proven to be effective in clinical trials and obtained approval from regulatory bodies.

"I will be curious to see whether this combination of the Ministry of Health and the SFDA is capable of exercising or enforcing the regulations on hospitals which are affiliated with the Chinese government," Sipp told Reuters by telephone.

Tuesday's announcement is similar to one made in 2009 when China ordered hospitals and clinics offering advanced medical technology to obtain approval or face closure, Sipp said, adding that the order back then did not make much impact.

The proliferation of unapproved stem cell therapies is not confined to China.

Experts have raised the alarm about patients turning up at clinics and hospitals in Mexico, India, Turkey, Russia and elsewhere for stem cell therapies that have not undergone clinical trials and are not recognized as standard treatment.

Last week, the United States' Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about unproven stem cell claims.

"This is a positive news because there has not been enough regulation, which damaged the reputation of this type of research," said David Siu, a cardiologist and stem cell expert at the University of Hong Kong.

(Additional reporting by Tan Ee Lyn in Hong Kong; Editing by Yoko Nishikawa)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120110/hl_nm/us_china_health_stem_cell

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Microsoft?s New Unsafe Neighborhood GPS Patent Is Being Dubbed The ?Avoid Ghetto? Feature

[Mock Image, Not Real]

In an effort to make their GPS give the user more routing options, Microsoft has obtained a patent for their GPS system (available for all Windows phones soon) which is being called the ?avoid ghetto? feature by news reports.

Created for mobile phones, the technology uses the latest crime statistics and weather data and includes them when calculating a route. The patent, written in a combination of tech-speak and legalese, was awarded to Microsoft earlier this week.

What is unclear, at least from my reading of the patent?which isn?t written by anything resembling a human hand or mind?is what kind of crime statistics the GPS might choose to use.

It?s one thing to avoid areas where there might have occurred physical assaults and gunfire. It?s another to avoid, say, places where burglaries are popular, as one suspects quite a few allegedly nice areas are subject to burglars? desires.

With some areas, past performance isn?t a guarantee of future results. What if someone using a route from this system does get mugged, shot, assaulted, or robbed? Would they feel entitled to sue Microsoft because the route was supposed to be ?ghetto-free??

The patent talks about the quality of the information. But quality is a subjective notion, so one wonders just whose assessment of quality will be deemed significant.

Thoughts?

Sources: CNET / CBS Seattle

Tagged as: Avoid Ghetto, Device, Feature, GPS, Microsoft, Mobile, Patent, Unsafe Neighborhood

Source: http://www.thelifefiles.com/2012/01/08/microsofts-new-unsafe-neighborhood-gps-patent-is-being-dubbed-the-avoid-ghetto-feature/

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