Artguardian: Watchman for artworks

Public release date: 31-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr.-Ing. Stephan Guttowski
stephan.guttowski@izm.fraunhofer.de
49-304-640-3632
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

There are an estimated 150 million works of art in the market today in museums, public spaces and in the holdings of private collectors. Not only because of their material value, but also because of their intangible value they deserve to be handled carefully. However, neither artists nor museums or collectors want to protect artwork from detrimental influences by keeping it in a climate-controlled safe. Art needs the public.

By combining modern technologies from the fields of microelectronics, building physics and information technology, three Fraunhofer Institutes and their partners have now developed a solution that meets the challenges that arise: Artguardian consists of four sensors invisibly attached to the work of art; they register temperatures, humidity, lighting conditions and any bumps or movements, observes Dr. Stephan Guttowski from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin. It forwards data at regular intervals to a base station located near the work.

The base station is linked with an IT platform to which the owner or curator has immediate access at all times via smart phone. This permits real-time monitoring of the ambient conditions to which the artwork is subjected at any given time. If set thresholds are exceeded, the system sounds an automatic alarm. And if there does not happen to be a base station nearby - during transport, for instance - the sensor records the values for readout later on.

The light sensors call for a very special technology. As the sensor cannot be affixed onto the surface of the painting itself, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP are developing a pane of glass coated with polymers which will be placed in front of the artwork. This thin layer reflects a part of the incident light towards the tiny sensors hidden under the frame. In this way, we can measure a light matrix that permits conclusions about overall lighting conditions , explains Stephan Guttowski.

Each work of art calls for specific conditions depending not least on the work's condition and age and the materials used to create it, Ralf Kilian from the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in Holzkirchen (Germany) points out. This is why Artguardian comes equipped with a detailed set of rules for art conservation which is based on data collected by the IBP conservator team by means of their long lasting experience. This makes it possible to asses potential risks individually and to give necessary recommendations for the conservation of the artworks.

Trust is good, control is better

A complex logistical process comes into play when a work of art is placed on loan for an exhibition - a process where owners of artworks have had to rely on outside experts. Artguardian changes this situation, says Dr. Volker Zurwehn, deputy director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST, located in Dortmund, Germany. The IT platform gives the owner an opportunity to monitor the conditions to which his or her artwork is exposed. In a further step, building-control technologies could be linked to the system, in order to adjust the indoor climate conditions automatically

Various notable museums have already expressed an interest in this technology. Initially, samples will be taken over a period of three months to provide evidence, for instance, on the impact of environmental conditions on the deterioration of various materials.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 31-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr.-Ing. Stephan Guttowski
stephan.guttowski@izm.fraunhofer.de
49-304-640-3632
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

There are an estimated 150 million works of art in the market today in museums, public spaces and in the holdings of private collectors. Not only because of their material value, but also because of their intangible value they deserve to be handled carefully. However, neither artists nor museums or collectors want to protect artwork from detrimental influences by keeping it in a climate-controlled safe. Art needs the public.

By combining modern technologies from the fields of microelectronics, building physics and information technology, three Fraunhofer Institutes and their partners have now developed a solution that meets the challenges that arise: Artguardian consists of four sensors invisibly attached to the work of art; they register temperatures, humidity, lighting conditions and any bumps or movements, observes Dr. Stephan Guttowski from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin. It forwards data at regular intervals to a base station located near the work.

The base station is linked with an IT platform to which the owner or curator has immediate access at all times via smart phone. This permits real-time monitoring of the ambient conditions to which the artwork is subjected at any given time. If set thresholds are exceeded, the system sounds an automatic alarm. And if there does not happen to be a base station nearby - during transport, for instance - the sensor records the values for readout later on.

The light sensors call for a very special technology. As the sensor cannot be affixed onto the surface of the painting itself, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP are developing a pane of glass coated with polymers which will be placed in front of the artwork. This thin layer reflects a part of the incident light towards the tiny sensors hidden under the frame. In this way, we can measure a light matrix that permits conclusions about overall lighting conditions , explains Stephan Guttowski.

Each work of art calls for specific conditions depending not least on the work's condition and age and the materials used to create it, Ralf Kilian from the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in Holzkirchen (Germany) points out. This is why Artguardian comes equipped with a detailed set of rules for art conservation which is based on data collected by the IBP conservator team by means of their long lasting experience. This makes it possible to asses potential risks individually and to give necessary recommendations for the conservation of the artworks.

Trust is good, control is better

A complex logistical process comes into play when a work of art is placed on loan for an exhibition - a process where owners of artworks have had to rely on outside experts. Artguardian changes this situation, says Dr. Volker Zurwehn, deputy director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST, located in Dortmund, Germany. The IT platform gives the owner an opportunity to monitor the conditions to which his or her artwork is exposed. In a further step, building-control technologies could be linked to the system, in order to adjust the indoor climate conditions automatically

Various notable museums have already expressed an interest in this technology. Initially, samples will be taken over a period of three months to provide evidence, for instance, on the impact of environmental conditions on the deterioration of various materials.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/f-awf013112.php

cotto vs margarito cotto vs margarito miguel cotto cotto ncaa bowl games bowls brooke mueller

Steve Jones Out As 'X Factor' Host

Welsh TV personality breaks the news via Twitter.
By Kara Warner

Steve Jones and Melanie Amaro
Photo: FOX

Inaugural "X Factor" host Steve Jones will not be returning to his post next season. The cheeky Welshman broke the news himself via Twitter on Monday (January 30).

"I won't be hosting next seasons X Factor which is a shame but I cant complain as I've had a great time," Jones tweeted to his more than 94,000 followers. "Good luck to everyone on the show."

Jones had decidedly big shoes to fill stepping into the gig, with comparisons instantly made to "American Idol" host/ media mogul Ryan Seacrest. Throughout the season, the reviews of Jones' hosting skills were decidedly mixed.

Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly's comments during the TCA panels earlier this month now seem as though a decision was made awhile ago. "I think everyone has come to realize the value of a Ryan Seacrest," he told reporters during the network's press tour panel. "If you dialed the clock back 11 years, I'm not sure everybody in this room would have given him all the credit at that time. Those are very hard jobs to do. So whether Steve's the guy or not, it comes under the heading of 'growth' in general. There will be some tweaks to the show, but I'll tell you, I'm very happy to have it, and it's gonna be part of us for a long time."

The 34-year-old Jones seemed to take the criticism in stride and didn't appear to have high hopes for a return for the second season. "There's been no contract conversations and there won't be until the New Year," Jones told Metro UK in December. "If I'm back, great. If not, I'll do something else. Simple as that."

One thing Jones does have hope for is a possible romantic connection with "X Factor" mentor Nicole Scherzinger, the former Pussycat Doll and "Dancing With the Stars" champ who was originally supposed to be his co-host before she replaced Cheryl Cole on the judging panel.

"If I ever leave 'X Factor,' Scherzinger's phone will be smoking hot from me ringing it constantly," Jones joked to Metro. "If we are not colleagues, then she's fair game."

Will you miss Steve Jones on "The X Factor"? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678186/steve-jones-out-x-factor-host.jhtml

buckyballs gilad annie hall jon lester mitchel musso bad lip reading gilad shalit

Lindsay Lohan Fires Back Against Rehab Employee Lawsuit

Lindsay Lohan Fires Back Against Rehab Employee Lawsuit

Lindsay Lohan is hitting back at claims she assaulted a Betty Ford Center staff member in 2010, filing a legal response to Dawn Bradley’s claims. [...]

Lindsay Lohan Fires Back Against Rehab Employee Lawsuit Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/lfmZh1T5lVA/

mary j blige cole hamels cole hamels curtis painter apple news conference apple news conference apple news

Video: Ferris Bueller returning

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46173845#46173845

advent calendar adobe air 2005yu55 advanced search alexander the great personhood amendment haynesworth

Country star Merle Haggard home from hospital (Reuters)

NASHVILLE, Tenn (Reuters) ? Country music singer Merle Haggard was resting at home in Northern California on Friday after a long stint in a Georgia hospital, his publicist Tresa Redburn said.

Haggard, 74, was hospitalized on January 17 for treatment of double-pneumonia. While in the hospital in Macon, Georgia, doctors discovered a number of other conditions for which Haggard needed treatment.

Redburn said Haggard flew home Thursday and she had no update on his condition Friday.

Haggard went to the hospital after his illness forced him to cancel a show in Macon just moments before taking the stage.

Doctors had the double-pneumonia pretty much cleared up earlier this week. The singer stayed in the hospital to recover after eight polyps were removed from his colon and for treatment of three stomach ulcers and diverticulitis in his esophagus, all of which were discovered by the Macon medical staff, said Redburn.

Early this week Haggard credited the Macon medical team for "probably saving my life," Redburn said.

Haggard had to cancel the remainder of his January tour. Haggard is planning to resume his tour February 28 in Tucson, Arizona, Redburn said. Missed dates are being rescheduled in April, she said.

Haggard is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. With influences ranging from Lefty Frizzell to Bob Wills to Jimmie Rodgers, Haggard is an architect of country music's so-called "Bakersfield Sound."

He is best known for songs such as "Mama Tried," "Okie from Muskogee" and "The Fightin' Side of Me."

(Editing by Greg McCune)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/music_nm/us_haggard

jon bon jovi kim jong il died warren hellman survivor south pacific survivor south pacific house of wax survivor

Justice unit to probe mortgage-backed securities (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Federal and state law enforcement officials announced Friday they have launched a fraud-fighting unit, starting with 55 prosecutors and investigators, to root out wrongdoing in the market for residential mortgage-backed securities.

Attorney General Eric Holder told a news conference the team will benefit from existing probes and disclosed that investigators have issued civil subpoenas to 11 financial institutions in recent days, with the prospect that "more will follow." He said bringing full enforcement resources to bear will help expose abuses and hold violators accountable.

Residential mortgage-backed securities are the huge investment packages of what turned out to be near-worthless mortgages that bankrupted many investors and contributed to the nation's financial crisis.

Appearing with Holder, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a co-chair of the initiative, held out the prospect that information sharing between federal and state investigators will produce more far-reaching results. He pointed out that New York state securities law is more flexible than federal securities law, which can make it easier to assemble cases.

As for those who engaged in misconduct in the financial industry, "we know what they did, they know what they did and, we know they know we know what they did," said Schneiderman.

"Mortgage products were in many ways ground zero for the financial crisis," said Robert Khuzami, director of the enforcement division at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The collapse in value of mortgage-backed securities resulted in unprecedented losses, and "all of us" in law enforcement are dedicated to holding accountable financial institutions that lied and cheated and misled investors, said Khuzami.

President Barack Obama disclosed the new effort in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_financial_probers

jessica biel tim howard west virginia rob roy gaslight justin timberlake michael dyer

New butt injection drama: Fake syringe attack

By Hank Tester and Brian Hamacher, NBCMiami.com

An attack with a fake syringe on a Spanish-language talk show Wednesday night was just the latest chapter in the South Florida "bad butt" injection drama.

Corey Eubank, 40, was appearing on Telemundo's "Cristina" show at the Blue Dolphin Studios in Doral when he was hit above his left eye by a prop syringe thrown by a woman, a Doral Police report released Thursday said.

'I?m not doing well at all. I am agitated. This is beginning to be life-threatening," Eubank told NBC Miami. "It?s gone way too far. This is really frustrating me.?

See video, read original story at NBCMiami.com

Police say Eubank is a man, but attorney Jim Lewis says she presents herself as a woman.

Eubank and 30-year-old Oneal Ron Morris were arrested in November and charged with practicing medicine without a license after victims alleged Morris had injected their legs and buttocks with a mixture that included Fix-a-Flat, cement and super glue.

Police say Eubank was Morris' accomplice, though she denies that claim.

According to the police report, Eubank said the show was taping when she was attacked by Brunetta Brown, the mother of Shaquanda Brown, one of Morris' and Eubank's alleged victims.

Video footage showed Eubank sitting on a chair before a member of the audience made her way to the stage. Security guards quickly moved in to separate Eubank from her alleged attackers as all hell broke loose.

Eubank told police Brunetta Brown threw the syringe ? which didn't have a needle in it?? at her, hitting her in the forehead, the report said.

Brown denied throwing the syringe at Eubank but admitted to getting into an altercation with Eubank, the report said.

No arrests were made but the incident remains under investigation, the report said.

Eubank's attorney Gabriela Novo, who was on stage translating for her, said the show assured them beforehand that "they would be ready ? this will not get out of hand."

But it did, and the syringe, after hitting Eubank across the eyebrow, hit Novo on her neck, she said.

"They just came at us. They just wanted to fight," Novo said. "When they stampeded onto the stage, they just grabbed all the props on the table and threw it at Corey and me.?

Lewis said "the victim began referring to my client as a faggot," and that things disintegrated when she stood up aggressively and approached Eubank.

?For about a minute and a half, it was a very scary situation, to the point the victim and families came at Ms. Novo and I. We felt very threatened," Lewis said.

He said the show did not provide enough security and that he would be filing a restraining order against both Browns.

Both Morris and Eubank are out on bond and have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

?

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10245917-latest-butt-injection-drama-attack-with-fake-syringe-on-tv

chick fil a chick fil a how to tie a bow tie liquor store times square new years eve brock lesnar vs alistair overeem buffalo chicken dip

Arab League chief, Qatar PM to go to U.N. over Syria (Reuters)

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) ? The Arab League chief and the Qatari prime minister will present an Arab peace plan for Syria to ambassadors in the U.N. Security Council in New York early next week, the council president said on Thursday.

South Africa's U.N. Ambassador Baso Sangqu told reporters in New York that the meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who heads the League's Syria committee, will brief the 15-nation council.

South Africa holds the council's rotating presidency this month.

Western diplomats said the briefing will set the stage for a new showdown with Russia over its ally Syria and a Western-Arab draft resolution that backs the Arab League call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer power to his deputy to set up a unity government and prepare elections.

The Security Council could vote as early as next week on the new draft resolution, which delegates from Britain and France are crafting in consultation with Qatar, Morocco, the United States, Germany and Portugal, envoys said. The new draft is to replace a Russian text that Western diplomats say is too weak.

Russia, however, says its draft remains in play. Western diplomats said they hope to negotiate with the Russians and incorporate elements of the Russian draft into the Western-Arab text to satisfy Moscow and avoid a Russian veto.

The Moroccan delegation was expected to meet with Russian and Chinese diplomats to present them with the latest version of the Western-Arab draft resolution, diplomats told Reuters. The Moroccans, they said, will then present it to the full 15-nation council on Friday.

The draft resolution, obtained by Reuters, calls for a "political transition" in Syria. It does not call for U.N. sanctions against Damascus, something Moscow has said it could not support.

Russia, together with China, vetoed a European-drafted resolution in October that condemned Syria and threatened it with sanctions over its 10-month crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. It is unclear whether Russia is ready to wield its veto once again to block council action on Syria.

Several Western envoys told Reuters that Russia might find it difficult to veto a resolution that is simply intended to provide support for the Arab League.

(Reporting by Louis Charbonneau in New York and Edmund Blair in Cairo; editing by Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/wl_nm/us_syria_league

puss in boots the rum diary trailer the rum diary trailer nor easter nor easter st.louis cardinals st.louis cardinals

Castro lambasts US Republican primary as idiotic (AP)

HAVANA ? Fidel Castro lambasted the Republican presidential race as the greatest competition of "idiocy and ignorance" the world has ever seen in a column published Wednesday, and also took shots at the news media and foreign governments for seizing on the death of a Cuban prisoner to demand greater respect for human rights.

Castro's comments came in a long opinion piece carried by official media two days after Republican presidential hopefuls at a debate in Florida presented mostly hard-line stances on what to do about the Communist-run island, and even speculated as to what would happen to the 85-year-old revolutionary leader's soul when he dies.

Cuba has become an important issue as the candidates court Florida's influential Cuban-American community in an effort to win the biggest electoral prize so far in the primary season.

Castro said he always assumed the candidates would try to outdo each other on the issue of Cuba, but that he was nonetheless appalled by the level of debate.

"The selection of a Republican candidate for the presidency of this globalized and expansive empire is ? and I mean this seriously ? the greatest competition of idiocy and ignorance that has ever been," said the retired Cuban leader, who has dueled with 11 U.S. administrations since his 1959 revolution.

Castro also disputed international media accounts about the Jan. 19 death of Wilman Villar, a 31-year-old Cuban prisoner, saying the man was not a dissident and not on a 50-day hunger strike as human rights groups and the island's opposition claim.

Castro reiterated the government's contention that Villar was a common criminal sent to prison for domestic violence, and that he received the best medical attention possible. Washington and several European governments have condemned Cuba for his death, and Amnesty International says it was about to put Villar on a global list of prisoners of conscience.

Villar has become a cause celebre for opponents of the Cuban government, but he was not a well known figure, even among island dissidents, before his death.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney said during Monday's debate that Villar died "fighting for democracy" and that his death highlighted the need to remain firm on Cuba. Washington has maintained a near-50-year trade and travel embargo on Cuba.

Another Republican candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, said he would authorize increased covert operations to bring down the Cuban government. And at another moment of Monday's debate, Romney and Gingrich sparred over whether Castro's soul would go to heaven or hell.

When asked what he would do as president if he found out Castro had died, Romney said he would first "thank Heavens" that the bearded revolutionary had finally "returned to his maker," to which Gingrich replied "I don't think Fidel's going to meet his maker. I think he's going to go to the other place."

Castro didn't refer to the comments specifically in his opinion piece, saying that he was too busy with other things to waste any more time analyzing the Republican competition.

___

Follow Paul Haven at http://www.twitter.com/paulhaven/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_cuba_fidel_castro_republicans

world trade center memorial spartacus spartacus forrest gump sunday night football paul simon hyundai equus

Drew Carey and Nicole Jaracz: It's Over!

It's game over for Drew Carey and Nicole Jaracz.

The Price Is Right host and his fiancee have ended their nearly five-year relationship. "He and Nicole still have a great deal of love and affection for one another," Carey's rep said.

"He will still be very involved with their son's life."

Drew Carey, 53, and Nicole Jaracz announced their engagement in October 2007. At the time, Jaracz had recently graduated from culinary school.

"They are both very happy and excited about their future together," Carey's rep said at the time, adding that no wedding date had been set then ... or ever.

In 2010, Carey dropped 80 lbs., and attributed his significant weight loss to the strong inspiration of his fiancée and her son, Connor, now 6.

Sad news, but we wish them both the best in this tough time.

[Photo: WENN.com]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/drew-carey-and-nicole-jaracz-its-over/

new years eve times square 2012 earthquake phish 2012 holidays prosperity yellow cab japan earthquake

Just Show Me: How to change the theme on your Xbox 360 (Yahoo! News)

Welcome to?Just Show Me on?Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the?gadgets in your life. In today's episode we'll show you how to change the theme?on your?Xbox 360.

The dashboard on your Xbox 360 can be customized to display different background, themes, etc. Personalize your Xbox 360 to reflect who you are!

Take a look at these other episodes of Just Show Me that'll help you use your Xbox 360 to its full potential:

For even more episodes of Just Show Me,?subscribe to Tecca TV's YouTube channel and?check out all our Just Show Me episodes. If you have any topics you'd like to see us cover, just drop us a line in the comments.

This article originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20120124/tc_yblog_technews/just-show-me-how-to-change-the-theme-on-your-xbox-360

de la salle de la salle google doodle notre dame shane denarius moore denarius moore

EU readies ban on Iran oil imports, central bank sanctions (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? European Union governments are expected to agree Monday new economic sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, including plans to phase in an oil embargo.

The sanctions follow fresh financial measures signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama on New Year's Eve, and will mainly target the oil sector, which accounts for some 90 percent of Iranian exports to the EU. Europe is Iran's second-largest oil customer after China.

"We want them to think 'This is really getting very, very serious now'," said one European diplomat.

Western countries believe Iran is seeking nuclear bombs; Tehran says its nuclear program is to generate electricity.

Other than the oil embargo, the EU measures are also expected to include sanctions against the Iranian central bank and a ban on trading in gold with the government, diplomats say.

But EU sanctions are likely to take effect slowly. During weeks of negotiations among the EU's 27 members, Greece and other southern European states pushed hard for a lengthy grace period to limit their own economic costs.

Greece, in particular, is heavily dependent on Iranian oil -- it sources nearly a quarter of its oil imports from Iran -- and has argued that it needs time to find alternative sources.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels are expected to agree to phase in the embargo, allowing existing contracts to be fulfilled for several months after the ban is imposed.

EU diplomats say the grace period will likely end on July 1, but ministers will also debate the idea of setting up a review beforehand to assess the impact and costs of the ban.

They will also reassure Athens that it will still be able to buy oil on reasonable terms after the ban goes into effect.

Greece, which relies on financial help from the EU and the International Monetary Fund to stay afloat, now gets Iranian crude on preferential financing terms.

"The financial situation of Greece at the moment is not the brightest one, and rightly they are asking us to help them find a solution," a senior EU official told reporters Friday.

With a significant part of EU purchases of Iranian oil covered by long-term contracts, the grace period will be an important factor in the efficiency of EU measures.

The unprecedented effort to take Iran's 2.6 million barrels of oil per day off international markets has kept global prices high, pushed down Iran's rial currency and caused a surge in the cost of basic goods for Iranians.

A diplomatic push is underway, officials say, to secure supplies from other producers. Saudi Arabia, the world's top producer, said this month it would increase production by about 2 million barrels per day.

(Additional reporting by Adrian Croft in London and Sebastian Moffett in Brussels; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120122/ts_nm/us_iran_eu

mark rothko wiccan pumpkin carvings mcrib pumpkin seeds mark herzlich malawi

Syria rejects new Arab League plan to end crisis

An anti-Syrian regime protester colors his fingers with the revolutionary flag colors during a protest outside the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Arab League foreign ministers, meeting in Cairo, extended the much-criticized observers mission for another month, officials from the 22-member organization said. The League decided to add more observers and provide them with additional resources, the officials said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

An anti-Syrian regime protester colors his fingers with the revolutionary flag colors during a protest outside the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Arab League foreign ministers, meeting in Cairo, extended the much-criticized observers mission for another month, officials from the 22-member organization said. The League decided to add more observers and provide them with additional resources, the officials said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Syrian army defectors gather at the mountain resort town of Zabadani, Syria, near the Lebanese border, on Friday Jan. 20, 2012. President Bashar Assad's forces attacked Zabadani, some 17 miles (27 kilometers) west of the capital, for six days, sparking fierce fighting that involved heavy bombardments and clashes with army defectors. On Wednesday, government tanks and armored vehicles pulled back, leaving the opposition in control of the town. Buoyed by the opposition's control of a town near the Syrian capital, thousands of people held anti-government protests Friday, chanting for the downfall of the regime. At least eight people were killed by security forces across the country, activists said. (AP Photo)

Syrian army defectors gather at the mountain resort town of Zabadani, Syria, near the Lebanese border, on Friday Jan. 20, 2012. President Bashar Assad's forces attacked Zabadani, some 17 miles (27 kilometers) west of the capital, for six days, sparking fierce fighting that involved heavy bombardments and clashes with army defectors. On Wednesday, government tanks and armored vehicles pulled back, leaving the opposition in control of the town. Buoyed by the opposition's control of a town near the Syrian capital, thousands of people held anti-government protests Friday, chanting for the downfall of the regime. At least eight people were killed by security forces across the country, activists said. (AP Photo)

An anti-Syrian regime protester flashes victory sign as he marches during a demonstration at the mountain resort town of Zabadani, Syria, near the Lebanese border, on Friday Jan. 20, 2012. President Bashar Assad's forces attacked Zabadani, some 17 miles (27 kilometers) west of the capital, for six days, sparking fierce fighting that involved heavy bombardments and clashes with army defectors. On Wednesday, government tanks and armored vehicles pulled back, leaving the opposition in control of the town. Buoyed by the opposition's control of a town near the Syrian capital, thousands of people held anti-government protests Friday, chanting for the downfall of the regime. At least eight people were killed by security forces across the country, activists said. (AP Photo)

Anti-Syrian regime protesters carry revolutionary flags while performing a traditional dance during a protest outside the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Arab League foreign ministers, meeting in Cairo, extended the much-criticized observers mission for another month, officials from the 22-member organization said. The League decided to add more observers and provide them with additional resources, the officials said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syria on Monday rejected the Arab League's wide-ranging new plan to end the country's 10-month crisis, saying the League's call for a national unity government in two months is a clear violation of Syrian sovereignty.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people poured into the streets in a suburb outside the capital, Damascus, to mourn 11 residents who were either shot dead by security forces or killed in clashes between army defectors and troops a day earlier, activists said.

The crowd in Douma ? which one activist said was 60,000-strong ? was under the protection of dozens of army defectors who are in control of the area after regime forces pulled out late Sunday, said Samer al-Omar, a Douma resident.

The reports could not be independently confirmed.

President Bashar Assad blames the uprising that erupted in March on terrorists and armed gangs acting out a foreign conspiracy to destabilize the country. His regime has retaliated with a brutal crackdown that the U.N. says has killed more than 5,400 people.

There is growing urgency, however, to find a resolution to a crisis that is growing increasingly violent as regime opponents and army defectors who have switched sides have started to fight back against government forces.

The Arab League has tried to stem the bloodshed by condemning the crackdown, imposing sanctions and sending a team of observers to the country. On Sunday, the League called for a unity government within two months, which would then prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held under Arab and international supervision.

The proposal also provides for Assad to give his vice president full powers to cooperate with the proposed government to enable it to carry out its duties during a transitional period.

The state-run news agency, SANA, said Damascus considers the plan "flagrant interference in its internal affairs" and the latest turn in an international plot against Syria.

It was not immediately clear what steps, if any, Syria could take to counter the Arab League's stance.

The European Union backed the Arab plan Monday, and it extended existing sanctions against Assad's government by adding 22 more officials and eight companies to the blacklist.

Omar Idlibi, a spokesman for the Syrian National Council opposition group, said the Arab efforts do not go far enough. He and many other opposition figures demand Assad leave power and say anything less will just give the regime time to bury the revolt.

But there are significant splits in the opposition about the way forward.

Hassan Abdul-Azim, who heads the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria, or NCB, said the Arab plan is an "advanced step as the Arab League has started dealing with matters more seriously."

Abdul-Azim told The Associated Press that the plan would put more pressure on Assad's regime and "tells it that it's impossible to keep matters as they are."

Syria appeared to get a serious boost Monday from its powerful allies in Russia. Russia's business daily Kommersant reported that Moscow has signed a contract to sell 36 Yak-130 combat jets to Syria ? a deal that, if confirmed, would openly defy international efforts to pressure Assad's regime.

The Arab League's observer mission has come under heavy criticism for failing to stop the violence in Syria.

On Monday, the head of the mission defended the observers' work, saying their presence had cut down on the bloodshed. Speaking at League headquarters in Cairo, Sudanese Gen. Mohammed Ahmed al-Dabi told reporters the observers have witnessed violence from both the Syrian security forces and armed opposition groups.

"When the delegation arrived, there was clear and obvious violence," he said. "But after the delegation arrived, the violence started to go lessen gradually."

On Sunday, Arab League foreign ministers extended the mission for another month. The mission's one-month mandate technically expired on Thursday.

Violence continued inside Syria on Monday.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops and army defectors clashed Monday near the western town of Qusair, close to the Lebanese border. It said five soldiers were killed and 13 were wounded.

The Observatory added that 11 civilians were killed by security forces in different parts of Syria, five of them in the northwestern province of Idlib, that borders Turkey.

The LCC put Monday's death toll at 10.

It was impossible to reconcile the discrepancy.

Syria has prevented most independent media coverage and until recently has refused to issue visas for most foreign journalists. In recent weeks, the regime has begun to permit entry for journalists on trips escorted by government minders.

___

Hubbard reported from Cairo.

___

Bassem Mroue can be reached on http://twitter.com/bmroue

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-23-ML-Syria/id-0a6b8717625d40df890f1a1082f8ddd6

tebowing washington wizards rudy zynga free shipping free shipping esophageal cancer

Euro zone ministers reject private bondholders' Greece offer (Reuters)

BRUSSELS/BERLIN (Reuters) ? Euro zone finance ministers Monday rejected as insufficient an offer made by private bondholders to help restructure Greece's debts, sending negotiators back to the drawing board and raising the threat of Greek default.

At a meeting in Brussels, ministers said they could not accept bondholders' demands for a coupon of four percent on new, longer-dated bonds that are expected be issued in exchange for their existing Greek holdings.

Banks and other private institutions represented by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) say a 4.0 percent coupon is the least they can accept if they are going to write down the nominal value of the debt they hold by 50 percent.

Greece says it is not prepared to pay a coupon of more than 3.5 percent, and euro zone finance ministers effectively backed the Greek government's position at Monday's meeting, a position that the International Monetary Fund also supports.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of the Eurogroup countries, said Greece needed to pursue a deal with private bondholders where the interest rate on the replacement bonds was "clearly" below 4.0 percent, stating:

"Ministers asked their Greek colleagues to pursue negotiations to bring the interest rates on the new bonds to below 4 percent for the total period, which implies the interest comes down to well below 3.5 percent before 2020."

The aim of the restructuring is to reduce Greece's debts by around 100 billion euros ($129 billion), cutting them from 160 percent of GDP to 120 percent by 2020, a level EU and IMF officials think will be more manageable for the growth-less Greek economy.

But with Greece off-track in its efforts to get its budget deficit in shape, the 2020 goal looks a long shot at best.

The disagreement increases the risk that it will prove impossible to strike a voluntary restructuring deal between Greece's creditors and the Greek government - an outcome that would have severe repercussions for financial markets.

Negotiations over what's called 'private sector involvement' (PSI) have been going on for nearly seven months without a concrete breakthrough. Failure to reach a deal by March, when Athens must repay 14.5 billion euros of maturing debt, could result in a disorderly default.

Despite the disagreement, Olli Rehn, the European commissioner in charge of economic and monetary affairs, said he expected a deal on PSI to be struck "within days."

PERMANENT BAILOUT FUND

As well as assessing Greece's debt restructuring, euro zone ministers discussed efforts to enforce stricter budget rules for EU states via a "fiscal compact," and steps to finalize the structure of a permanent euro zone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which is due to operate from July.

The ESM will have an effective lending capacity of 500 billion euros and replace the European Financial Stability Facility, a temporary fund that has so far been used to bail out Ireland and Portugal and which will be used to provide part of a second, 130 billion euro package for Greece.

Germany has insisted that once the ESM is up and running, the combined potential outlay of the EFSF and ESM should not exceed 500 billion euros.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and IMF chief Christine Lagarde have said the ceiling should be raised, possibly up to 1 trillion euros, so it has more than enough capacity to handle any problems in major economies such as Spain or Italy.

The Financial Times reported Monday that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was ready to see the ceiling of the combined firewall raised to 750 billion euros in exchange for agreement on tighter euro zone budget rules, but the report was immediately denied by her chief spokesman.

"It is not true. There is no such decision," Steffen Seibert told Reuters.

Monti told reporters after Monday's meeting that no conclusions had been reached on the ESM, which all 17 euro zone countries must back in a new treaty. Officials said the details would have to be finalized by an EU summit on January 30.

It was a similar situation for the "fiscal compact," which also involves a new treaty and which EU leaders are expected to agree at the summit next week.

"We have had an extremely constructive meeting on the fiscal compact and this text is a good basis for the discussions for the heads of government at the end of the month," said Juncker, sidestepping concerns about the text raised by the European Central Bank.

DEBT SUSTAINABILITY

Despite the continued deep differences, Greece and its private creditors do appear to be slowly converging on a deal in which private bondholders would take a real loss of 65 to 70 percent on their Greek bonds - giving a nominal reduction of 50 percent - officials close to the negotiations say.

Sources close to the talks told Reuters Monday that the impasse centered on questions of whether the deal would return Greece's debt mountain, currently over 350 billion euros, to levels that European governments believe are sustainable.

"There will likely be an updated debt sustainability analysis that will be discussed at the Eurogroup," a banking source in Athens said, requesting anonymity. "Talks will continue this week. The aim is to have an agreement by late next Monday."

Speaking in Berlin, Lagarde called on European leaders to complement the "fiscal compact" they agreed last month with some form of financial risk-sharing, mentioning euro zone bonds or bills, or a debt redemption fund as possible options.

Merkel told a news conference it was not the time to debate an increase in the euro zone's bailout funds.

"I don't think it is right to do one new thing then do another, let's get the ESM working," Merkel said, reiterating that Germany was prepared to accelerate the flow of capital into the ESM ahead of its planned introduction in mid-2012.

Euro zone leaders agreed in October that the second bailout would total 130 billion euros, if private bondholders forgave half of what Greece owes them in nominal terms.

But Greek economic prospects have deteriorated since then, which means either euro zone governments or investors will have to contribute more than thought.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Brown and Alexandra Hudson in Berlin, Leigh Thomas in Paris, Lefteris Papadimas and Ingrid Melander in Athens; Writing by Noah Barkin and Luke Baker, editing by Mike Peacock/Jeremy Gaunt/Rex Merrifield.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/bs_nm/us_eurozone_ministers

chris cooley stevan ridley breast cancer awareness month breast cancer awareness month new ipod touch new ipod touch dwts results

Romney pressing reset after SC loss

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Allstar Building Materials in Ormond Beach, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Allstar Building Materials in Ormond Beach, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Allstar Building Materials in Ormond Beach, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Allstar Building Materials in Ormond Beach, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (AP) ? Mitt Romney is pressing reset.

After a crushing loss to Newt Gingrich in South Carolina, the former Massachusetts governor made clear Sunday that he plans to attack his chief rival's character, release his tax returns this week and try to right a campaign he acknowledged had been knocked off kilter.

"It was not a great week for me," Romney acknowledged during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

And at a rally here, his first event in Florida after the loss to Gingrich, Romney assailed the former speaker's leadership abilities. "We're not choosing a talk show host, alright?" he said. "We're choosing a leader."

Romney now turns to Florida at what is possibly the most critical moment of his campaign, after two weeks of sustained attacks from his opponents and a series of self-inflicted errors that erased any notion that he would be able to lock up the nomination quickly by winning this state's Jan. 31 primary.

"I'm looking forward to a long campaign," Romney said on Fox News. "We are selecting the president of the United States. Someone who is going to face ups and downs and real challenges, and I hope that through this process, I can demonstrate that I can take a setback and come back strong."

Even if Romney does manage a victory here ? his Florida campaign is by far the strongest of any in the GOP field, and he and his allies have been alone on the air for weeks ? the race has become a two-way fight between him and Gingrich, the former House speaker with a huge dose of momentum.

And now Romney's team is girding for a long and costly fight that extends well beyond Florida. Saturday night's shellacking in South Carolina underscored the former Massachusetts governor's vulnerabilities and undermined his claims of becoming the inevitable Republican nominee.

Over the next 10 days, the candidates ? including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul ? will meet twice on the debate stage, a venue where Gingrich has thrived in recent weeks and Romney has struggled some when pressed about questions about his wealth and private business experience. The debates ? Monday in Tampa and Thursday in Jacksonville ? present fresh opportunities for both breakout performances and mistakes.

Romney brought out his more aggressive posture and lines of attack toward Gingrich at the Sunday rally. "Speaker Gingrich has also been a leader. At the end of four years, it was proven that he was a failed leader," Romney said, referring to the ethics investigation that resulted in a rare reprimand for a House speaker.

It's clear the campaign is worried voters have forgotten Gingrich's history. "He had to resign in disgrace. I don't know whether you knew that," Romney said.

"I'm asking the people of Florida to consider: what are the qualities of leadership?" he said. "What makes an effective president, a great president, even? Ronald Reagan, Dwight Eisenhower and FDR, even?"

It was an angrier, more aggressive Romney who took the stage at the rally here. He shouted back and forth with the crowd after Occupy Wall Street hecklers interrupted him and rattled off a list of leadership qualities, drawing cheers after each, in a rare back-and-forth with the crowd.

Romney attacked Gingrich's time working for the quasi-government mortgage giant Freddie Mac, calling again for him to release records related to his consulting work for them.

Behind the scenes, aides also indicated that Romney would go after Gingrich's character in Florida as a way to distinguish himself ? a father of five who has been married to the same woman for 42 years ? from his thrice-married rival. And the aides argued that the results in South Carolina don't indicate Republican primary voters everywhere are willing to overlook Gingrich's two divorces and acknowledged infidelity. Gingrich's second wife, Marianne, told ABC News in an interview aired Thursday that the former speaker asked her for an open marriage so he could continue having an affair with the House staffer who is now his third wife.

Publicly, Romney has refused to engage on the subject thus far, saying at a debate Thursday: "Let's get onto the real issues. That's all I got to say."

But Romney has started poking at Gingrich's character by raising questions about the ethics investigation against Gingrich in the 1990s, when he was House speaker, and suggested that the former Georgia lawmaker was hiding something by refusing to release reams of documents he apparently gave to investigators back then.

Asked Sunday whether character would become an issue, Romney said, "No question."

"Leadership is the key attribute that people should look for in considering a president," Romney said, "and character is a big part of leadership, as is vision, sobriety, steadiness."

Romney's team also plans to contrast his experience as a governor and businessman with Gingrich's experience in Congress and his later work with former colleagues on behalf of businesses.

Romney, meanwhile, also is working to fix a key vulnerability ? defensiveness over questions about his personal wealth, including money in funds in the Cayman Islands, a popular haven for international investment.

Under pressure to release his tax returns immediately, Romney reversed course and said he would release those documents for 2010 and an estimate for 2011 on Tuesday ? months ahead of their planned April release.

The documents will lay out just how Romney, a multimillionaire many times over, makes his money and reveal his actual tax rate, which Romney estimated at about 15 percent.

His wife, Ann Romney, addressed the issue at the Florida rally, suggesting family was more important than money.

"I understand Mitt's going to release his tax forms this week," she said as she introduced him. "I want to remind you where we know our riches are. Our riches are with our families."

"That's where we measure our wealth, is through those children," she said.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a backer who had called on Romney to immediately release his returns, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Romney made the right decision, saying, "I'm happy he's doing it."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-22-Romney/id-36aff16416d04fcca9d680feb3702995

lord monckton andy kaufman october 21 2011 ohio ohio john beck john beck

Report: South Sudan sues Khartoum over oil

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) ? South Sudan is suing Sudan for "looting" its oil and will no longer export crude through its northern neighbor's territory, a Sudanese daily reported Sunday, citing officials, in the latest spat between the two governments over the coveted resource in the newly independent southern nation.

South Sudan Information Minister Marial Benjamin said the lawsuit was filed in "specialized international tribunals against Sudan and some companies" that bought the crude, the Al-Sahafa daily said. Benjamin did not provide additional details on the venue or when the lawsuit was filed.

The case is the latest development in a long-simmering fight between the two governments over the oil they share. Most of it lies within the borders of South Sudan, which achieved independence last July.

On Jan. 17, South Sudan Minister of Petroleum and Mining Stephen Dhieu Dau said Sudan is diverting about 120,000 barrels of oil pumped from the south daily, a move the northern government said stemmed from the unpaid transit fees for the oil carried in pipelines from the south to export terminals in its territory. The two sides have been unable to resolve the dispute.

South Sudan's Cabinet Affairs minister, Deng Alor, said that his country has halted pumping crude through Sudan and would begin building a pipeline across east Africa that would allow it to export its oil through Kenya. The project would take about a year, he told Al-Sahafa.

"Our economy will not be affected by this step," he said, adding that South Sudan had enough in cash reserves to sustain it for five years. Even if the economy was affected, it would be preferable to the "looting" taking place by Sudan, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The Khartoum government downplayed the potential impact of the move by the south. Sudanese State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Amin Hassan Omar said that the oil currently held in pipelines would cover a considerable portion of the debts owed by the south.

The suspension of oil production is a "tactical move that will not last long," he told Al-Sahafa.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-22-ML-Sudan-South-Sudan-Oil/id-dcf5fa72aaff4de3a41d196f8b6bf882

carly fiorina girl with the dragon tattoo trailer girl with the dragon tattoo trailer parks and rec facebook announcement mitch daniels tyler clementi

Embattled Olympus to remain on Tokyo stock market

TOKYO (AP) ? Olympus Corp. will not be kicked off the Tokyo Stock Exchange, but the camera and medical device maker must pay a fine for covering up massive losses with false accounting, exchange officials said Friday.

Olympus will be monitored by the exchange as a security on "Alert" because significant improvements must be made in its internal control systems, it said in an emailed statement.

Olympus faced removal from the stock exchange following revelations of a scheme by the Tokyo-based company to hide 117.7 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in investment losses dating back to the 1990s.

The scandal came to light late last year after then-President Michael Woodford raised questions about huge payments for financial advice and expensive acquisitions of companies unrelated to the company's mainstay businesses. Olympus first denied, then affirmed the allegations.

The TSE said that even though the deception was perpetuated over a long period, it "cannot be deemed to have caused significant misinterpretation of profit levels or performance trends" given the size of the company. "The improper accounting practices had generally no effect on sales or operating profit."

Olympus was also slapped with a 10 million yen ($130,000) penalty because its actions damaged investor confidence in the stock market, the statement said, castigating the company for "using devious methods."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-20-AS-Japan-Olympus-Stock-Exchange/id-e9a97cd252904053b74483b1a2ba8a4e

patrick willis team america snow day snow day neti pot iron chef bath and body works coupons

3 acquitted of murder plot against Swedish artist (AP)

STOCKHOLM ? A Swedish court has acquitted three men accused of plotting to murder an artist who depicted the Prophet Muhammad as a dog.

In Friday's ruling, the Goteborg district court said the defendants lied about why they visited an art gallery where Lars Vilks was expected to make an appearance, and were armed with knives, but it hadn't been proved that they intended to kill him.

The ruling was expected as the three men ? of Somali and Iraqi origin ? had been released pending the decision.

It wasn't immediately clear whether prosecutors would appeal.

Vilks has faced a serious of death threats for his 2007 drawing of Muhammad. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_eu/eu_sweden_prophet_drawing

black friday online deals black friday news gamestop albert haynesworth banana republic apple store academy

Francesco Schettino, Italian Cruise Ship Captain, Claims He "Tripped" Into Lifeboat

The saga of the ill-fated Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia took a bizarre new twist as its captain, Francesco Schettino, says he FELL into a lifeboat and did not abandon ship.

The captain claims he tripped on deck and tumbled overboard, only to wind up in a lifeboat during a panicky passenger escape, and did not abandon the vessel as accused.

The captain's newly disclosed account, reported by the newspaper La Repubblica, came as divers were forced to suspend rescue efforts around the half-submerged vessel.

Not helping his cause? An audio recording of officials ordering him to get back on:

Italian Cruise Ship Captain Audio Tape

The ship's instability, coupled with unideal forecasts of stormy winds off the Tuscany coast, raised fears the hull could slide into deeper water and sink for good.

Italy's environment minister, Corrado Clini, said structural damage to portions of the ship could cause "potentially dangerous consequences for the environment."

The Italian authorities revised the missing figure Wednesday to 26. The official death toll still stands at 11, and Francesco Schettino has plenty of explaining to do.

He reiterated that he did not plan to leave the ship as it tilted toward the water.

"The passengers were pouring onto the decks, taking the lifeboats by assault," he said. "I didn't even have a life jacket because I had given it to one of the passengers."

"I was trying to get people to get into the boats in an orderly fashion. Suddenly, the ship was at a 60- to 70-degree angle. I tripped and I ended up in one of the boats."

"That's how I found myself there."

Schettino, 51, has been placed under house arrest. Criminal charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship are expected to be filed by prosecutors against him.

The Costa Concordia capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio on January 13 after the ship detoured from its programmed route and slammed into a reef.

Carnival Corp., the parent company of Costa Cruises, announced an audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures across all the company's lines.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/francesco-schettino-italian-cruise-ship-captain-claims-he-trippe/

slaughterhouse cypher last man standing jim thorpe pa jim thorpe pa terry francona ios 5 release date

APNewsBreak: $7.5M to repair Washington Monument (AP)

WASHINGTON ? A billionaire history buff has stepped forward to donate the $7.5 million matching gift that's needed to start repairing cracks near the top of the Washington Monument from last summer's East Coast earthquake.

Businessman David Rubenstein told The Associated Press he was inspired to help fund the repairs to the 555-foot obelisk when it became clear how severely damaged it was by a 5.8-magnitude quake on Aug. 23. The monument received about 1 million visitors a year before the famous landmark was closed to the public after the quake.

The Park Service hopes to have a contractor begin work by the end of August. The repair work is expected to take a year to complete, likely keeping the monument closed for two years.

Congress allocated $7.5 million in December on the condition that private donations would match that amount. The National Park Service and nonprofit Trust for the National Mall are expected to announce Rubenstein's gift Thursday morning. It will be the largest gift to the nonprofit group, which aims to raise $350 million to restore the mall's grounds and facilities.

The combined $15 million in public and private funds is expected to cover the cost of repairing damage directly caused by the quake, said National Park Service spokeswoman Carol Johnson. Repairing water damage will cost more, as would a seismic study or reinforcements to strengthen the obelisk against future earthquakes, she said.

Rubenstein, a co-founder of The Carlyle Group, began building the private equity firm's business in Washington and said he wanted to restore a symbol of the nation and hasten repairs to reopen the landmark.

"This Washington Monument is probably one of the most recognizable buildings in the United States next to the Capitol and the Empire State Building," he said. "It could use a little repair work, and I wanted people to get to see it as soon as possible."

Experts have noted the monument needs more than just a little repair work, though it has been deemed structurally sound.

The August quake was centered some 40 miles west of Richmond, Va., and felt from Canada to Georgia. It damaged the Washington National Cathedral, where pieces of mortar rained down from its vaulted ceiling. At the Washington Monument, panicked visitors fled down flights of stairs on the day of the big shake, but there were no known deaths or serious injuries in the region.

The earthquake caused numerous cracks to form in the obelisk, which was the tallest man-made structure in the world when it was completed in 1884.

Surveillance video taken the day of the quake and later released by the park service showed the spire shaking violently. Daylight could be seen through some of the cracks, the largest of which was reported to be at least 4 feet long and about an inch wide.

A report in December recommended extensive repairs and reinforcements to preserve the spire. It said some marble panels were cracked all the way through near the top portion of the monument. Cracks near its peak also have left the monument vulnerable to water damage from rain, engineers noted.

Last fall, daredevil engineers on a "difficult access team" rappelled from the top to conduct a visual inspection of the exterior of the obelisk.

Officials said it's unclear whether the work will require scaffolding to be built around the monument, similar to what was erected during a restoration project from 1999 to 2001.

Caroline Cunningham, president of the Trust for the National Mall, called Rubenstein "a true patriot" and said his gift "demonstrates how much people care about this space." She said it should serve as an example for other philanthropists.

There has long been talk of sprucing up the mall at the heart of the nation's capital.

A design competition is under way to develop ways to improve the mall, including the Washington Monument grounds. Finalists will be chosen in May, and the group will seek funding for each project. The nonprofit group has targeted parts of the mall that are run down from over use and neglect as a focus for its restoration efforts.

Rubenstein has made large gifts in recent years to Washington's cultural institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center.

The monument, which he visited recently, was built with private $1 donations eventually totaling over $1 million, Rubenstein said. Construction began in 1848, but funds ran out during the Civil War when the monument was left as an embarrassing stump for years. It was finally completed in 1884 and was the world's tallest man-made structure until it was eclipsed by the Eiffel Tower. It remains the tallest structure in Washington.

Rubenstein owns a copy of the Magna Carta, among other historical documents, and reveres George Washington.

"I like to remind people about American history," Rubenstein said. "George Washington is an incredible figure. When he was the head of the Revolutionary War Army, he could have stayed on as really the head of the government when we won the Revolutionary War, but he put down his arms."

___

Trust for the National Mall: http://www.nationalmall.org

___

Follow Brett Zongker at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_re_us/us_washington_monument

light field camera world series game 1 exotic animals exotic animals scott hall lra lra