Google's improved how its calendar and email services interact with Windows Phones running the Mango update. Users can now cram up to 25 different calendars into the Metro OS's built-in calendar app. The setup's not exactly seamless; you need to navigate your Windows Phone to the Google Sync page, login and check the boxes found there. While testing on our phones, although one device was able to immediately sync, the other couldn't pick up on our multiple calendars. We had to delete and re-assign our Google account to the phone in order to get it working. However, once we did, the Metro styling lent itself well to multiple calendar listings, with the ability (like the web-based Google Calendar) to assign colors to each.
At the same Google Sync page, you can now choose to enable the "send mail as" feature if you're using multiple addresses, with the option to delete unwanted emails instead of archiving. However, aside from replying from the same address that you received emails to, we haven't discovered a way to assign new mails to our multiple guises. We were able to send messages through our own Engadget mail account, although that's then used on all future missives. Despite these rough edges, it remains a welcome bit of extra functionality. Are we still longing for a dedicated Gmail app? Definitely. We just hope those devs don't drop the ball.
BENGHAZI, Libya ? Moammar Gadhafi loyalists seized control of a Libyan mountain city in the most serious challenge to the central government since the strongman's fall, underlining the increasing weakness of Libya's Western-backed rulers as they try to unify the country under their authority.
The taking of Bani Walid, one of the last Gadhafi strongholds captured by the new leadership late last year, was the first such organized operation by armed remnants of Gadhafi's regime. A simultaneous outbreak of shootings in the capital and Libya's second largest city Benghazi raised authorities' concerned that other networks of loyalists were active elsewhere.
The security woes add to the difficulties of the ruling National Transitional Council, which is struggling to establish its authority and show Libyans progress in stability and good government. Bani Walid's fall comes after violent protests in Benghazi, where Libyans angry over lack of reform stormed the NTC headquarters and trashed offices.
In Bani Walid, hundreds of well-equipped and highly trained remnants of Gadhafi's forces battled for eight hours on Monday with the local pro-NTC revolutionary brigade, known as the May 28 Brigade, said Mubarak al-Fatmani, the head of Bani Walid local council. The brigade was driven out and Gadhafi loyalists then raised their old green flag over buildings in the western city.
Four revolutionary fighters were killed and 25 others were wounded in the fighting, al-Fatmani said.
There were no immediate signs that the uprising was part of some direct attempt to restore the family of Gadhafi, who was swept out of power in August and then killed in the nearby city of Sirte in October. His sons, daughter and wife have been killed, arrested or have fled to neighboring countries.
Instead, the fighting seemed to reflect a rejection of NTC control by a city that never deeply accepted its rule, highlighting the still unresolved tensions between those who benefited under Gadhafi's regime and those now in power. Those tensions are tightly wound up with tribal and regional rivalries around the country.
The May 28 Brigade had kept only a superficial control over the city, the head of Bani Walid's military council, Abdullah al-Khazmi, acknowledged.
"The only link between Bani Walid and the revolution was May 28, now it is gone and 99 percent of Bani Walid people are Gadhafi loyalists," he said.
He spoke to The Associated Press at a position on the eastern outskirts of Bani Walid, where hundreds of pro-NTC reinforcements from Benghazi were deployed with convoys of cars mounted with machine guns, though there was no immediate move to retake the city.
The fighters who captured the city Monday night belong to Brigade 93, a militia newly created by Gadhafi loyalists who reassembled after the fall of the regime, said al-Khazmi and al-Fatmani. The fighters, flush with cash and heavy weaponry including incendiary bombs, have been increasing in power in the city, they said.
There was no possibility to confirm their claims. However, there were no mass evacuations from the town after the clashes, an indication that the residents appear to accept the new arrangement, said Ali al-Fatmani, a revolutionary brigade commander in Bani Walid.
Authorities in Benghazi, where the NTC is centered, appeared concerned that the Bani Walid uprising could have sent a signal to other cells of Gadhafi forces.
An AP reporter who was present in the Benghazi operation room heard military commanders on Monday saying coordinated incidents of drive-by shootings in Tripoli and, to a lesser extent, Benghazi erupted as news of the Bani Walid takeover spread. In Tripoli, some shops closed, and fighters responsible for security in the capital were on a state of alert over the shootings.
Five months since the Gadhafi regime's fall and three months since his death, the National Transitional Council has so far made little progress in unifying its armed forces. Instead it relies largely on multiple "revolutionary brigades," militias made up of citizens-turned-fighters, usually all from a specific city or even neighborhood.
The militias were created during the months of civil war against Gadhafi's forces last year, and since the war ended in October, the various brigades remain in control of security affairs of each city they liberated. Though loyal to the NTC, they have also feuded among themselves and acted on their own initiative, and the council has been unable to control them.
A month ago, Gadhafi loyalists attacked another revolutionary brigade from Tripoli that entered Bani Walid, killing 13, said Mubarak al-Fatmani.
"The council (NTC) did absolutely nothing," said al-Fatmani, who resigned from his local council chief post to protest the NTC's failure to investigate the ambush. He still holds his position, since his resignation has not yet been accepted.
The council has faced increasing complaints that it is doing little to bring stability to the country. It faces a daunting task, since Gadhafi's regime stripped Libya of most institutions, and the civil war has stirred up widespread divisions, rivalries and resentments.
In the Benghazi unrest last Saturday, protesters broke into the NTC headquarters, smashed windows and carted off furniture and electronics, then threw bottles at NTC chief Mustafa Abdul-Jalil as he tried to address them and torched his car. The next day, Abdul-Jalil suspended the Benghazi representatives on the council in an apparent attempt to appease protesters. The deputy chief of the NTC resigned in protest over the suspension.
Bani Walid, a city of 100,000 located in the mountains 90 miles (140 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli, held out for weeks against revolutionary forces after Gadhafi's fall from power, with loyalist fighters dug into its formidable terrain of valleys and crevasses. Pro-NTC fighters finally took it in October.
The main tribe in Bani Walid is a branch of the Warfala tribal confederation, which stretches around the country with around 1 million members. The Bani Walid branch was one of the most privileged under Gadhafi, who gave them top positions and used their fighters to try to crush protests in the early months of last year's uprising against his rule.
That has left a deep enmity between the tribe and others. Ali al-Fatmani said Bani Walid loyalists were among Gadhafi troops that tried to march on Benghazi during the civil war and were used to in the siege of Zawiya, west of Tripoli. There were reports, he said, that Bani Walid fighters desecrated graves of fallen revolutionary fighters in Zawiya.
"The hatred and mistrust have been building up during the revolution," said al-Fatmani, himself a Warfala.
Who needs a college degree when fame and fortune awaits?
Since their first appearance on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" in 2007, Kendall and Kylie Jenner have become stars in their own right, thanks to lucrative modeling campaigns and a thriving teen fashion empire.
PHOTOS: Kardashians as kids
When Us Weekly spoke to their father Bruce Jenner at the Performance 3D demonstration in NYC Monday, the 62-year-old Olympian admitted his girls' careers are so busy they may not pursue higher education.
"If they want to go to college, certainly, I think it's a good idea. But I'm not the advocate of, 'You've got to go to college!'" Bruce said. "I think by the time they graduate from high school, they will probably be in a position to go right to working."
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Bruce defends Kendall's racy bikini photo shoot
Like their older sisters Kourtney, 32, Kim, 31, and Khloe, 27, Kendall and Kylie are becoming branded businesswomen, Bruce explained. "They've just developing their clothing line for Sears -- it's a little more teen-oriented, the clothing line. And they're working all the time on the show."
With two magazine covers under her belt (American Cheerleader and Teen Prom), Kendall, 16, is poised to become the next big supermodel, Bruce added.
VIDEO: Bruce freaks out when he finds out Kendall is on birth control
"She'll probably have a career by the time she's out of high school," Bruce told Us. "If that's what she wants to do, that's good. I don't know if college is going to be that important for her."
Bruce Jenner's teens have millions. Do they need college?
What happens when the toy packaging becomes more exciting than the toy itself? It's an interesting experiment that's now seeing the light of day courtesy of Bandai's new Thundercats and Ben 10 toys, which come to life through a smartphone screen via augmented reality. The company promises that the packages help kids "examine every part of the toy before purchase." That's important. And hey, so's setting them up for a lifetime of disappointment. Video and PR after the break.
We bet some of you over in the UK were just a wee bit little jealous when it was revealed that we here in the good ol' U-S-of-A would be getting first dibs on the Lumia 900 (a little payback for keeping the 800 all to yourselves). Well, lucky for you, we're not so greedy and you'll get your own shot at Nokia's latest and greatest... eventually. Carphone Warehouse has the dual-camera sporting Mango phone listed as "coming soon" with an expected launch date of June 2012. These plans are clearly still unofficial at the moment, but you can sign up for more info from the outlet as it becomes available. The biggest question, though, is whether or not the Lumia 900 will ship with LTE on board. The product page makes no mention of 4G and, with compatiblenetworks still in trial stages at best, we wouldn't get our hopes up. Still, even without "blazingly fast" downloads, the front-facing cam, RGB matrix screen and beefy battery present plenty of reason for excitement.
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) ? Richard Gere once saw Utah from horseback while moving cattle, but his trip to the Sundance Film Festival to premiere "Arbitrage" is his first actual visit to the state.
The 62-year-old actor says "it sounds ridiculous," but he was moving cattle through Nevada with some friends and "we rode up to a ridgeline and they pointed up, 'That's Utah there.'"
Gere says it was a seven-day cattle-moving trip on horseback.
He was in Park City Saturday to promote "Arbitrage," a thriller about the lure of money and power and how it affects one's personal values.
Directed by Nicholas Jarecki, the film also stars Susan Sarandon, Nate Roth and Laetitia Casta.
The Sundance Film Festival continues through Jan. 29.
Like many great documentaries, Knuckle was born out of something else. It originally began as a wedding video. Ian Palmer found something so interesting about his guests, he ventured further and discovered the world of Irish travelling bare knuckle boxing. Most specifically he follows the feud between two clans of the same family, The McDonaghs and the Joyces. So after that wedding video, Palmer ended up documenting this feud and these fights for 12 years. This extraordinary amount of time puts the whole thing into perspective about the needlessness and absurdity of violence. Many say the feud goes back 50 years, and yet nobody gives a straight answer as to its origins. People hold grudges and plan rematches 9 years down the line. It becomes obvious that fighting has become an addiction and a way of life for these poor men. They have nothing else to do. When we see the acclaim they receive from their families, it's easy to see why they have been so taken in by aggression. In the first fight James McDonagh says it will be his last, but it's far from it. He seems genuine about his wanting to quit, but he always ends up in another fight. Even the director talks about how he continued filming just for the thrill, and had lost sight of his documentary. Every fight is brutal in that realistic sense, and Palmer clearly paints a vivid picture of this strange world. Aggressive men, but loving husbands and fathers. Fights that are fought for lack of reason, but are controlled and fair with a sense of honour. Knuckle is the kind of film that lures you in with basic blood lust, but gives you a whole lot more.
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks at his South Carolina primary election night reception at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won the Republican primary Saturday night. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks at his South Carolina primary election night reception at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won the Republican primary Saturday night. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, gives a thumbs up at his South Carolina primary election night reception at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won the Republican primary Saturday night. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Sunday that he will release his 2010 tax returns and 2011 estimates on Tuesday, acknowledging it was a mistake for his campaign not to have done so earlier.
Stung by a loss to Newt Gingrich in Saturday's South Carolina primary, the former Massachusetts governor and venture capitalist said it was "not a good week for me" and he cited all the time he had spent talking about his tax returns as his rivals pressed him to make them public.
After months of resistance, Romney had said last week that he would release tax information for 2011, but not until April, close to the tax filing deadline. That also was seen as a time, before the South Carolina race rattled his front-runner status, when the GOP nomination might have been decided.
"I think we just made a mistake in holding off as long as we did. It just was a distraction. We want to get back to the real issues of the campaign: leadership, character, a vision for America, how to get jobs again in America and how to rein in the excessive scale of the federal government," Romney told "Fox News Sunday."
Romney disclosed on Tuesday that, despite his wealth of hundreds of millions of dollars, he has been paying in the neighborhood of 15 percent, far below the top maximum income tax rate of 35 percent, because his income "comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past."
"Given all the attention that's been focused on tax returns, given the distraction that I think they became in these last couple of weeks," Romney said in the broadcast interview that he would release his 2010 returns and estimates for his 2011 returns at the same time "so there's not a second release down the road."
"We'll be putting our returns on the Internet, people can look through them," Romney said. "It will provide, I think, plenty of information for people to understand that the sources of my income are exactly as described in the financial disclosure statements we put out a couple of months ago.
During 2010 and the first nine months of 2011, the Romney family had at least $9.6 million in income, according to a financial disclosure form submitted in August.
Further focusing attention on his wealth was Romney's offhand remark to reporters that his income from paid speeches amounted to "not very much" money. In the August disclosure statement, he reported being paid $373,327.62 for such appearances for the 12 months ending last February. That sum alone would him in the top 1 percent of U.S. taxpayers.
In addition, Romney owns investments worth between $7 million and $32 million in offshore-based holdings, which are often used legitimately by private equity firms to attract foreign investors. Such offshore accounts also can enable wealthy investors to defer paying U.S. taxes on some assets, according to tax experts.
An Associated Press examination of Romney's financial records identified at least six funds set up in the Cayman Islands, a small Caribbean island chain that has long been used as a base for international investments because of low tax rates and financial secrecy. Romney has acknowledged that some of his investments are based in the Caymans, but he has not identified all of the specific accounts and the amounts based there. There is no indication Romney uses the accounts to dodge any U.S. tax obligations.
"Cayman Islands account so-to-speak is apparently an investment that was made in an entity that invests in the United States, the taxes paid on that are full U.S. taxes," Romney said.
The Caymans have often been associated with individuals and corporations seeking to avoid paying U.S. taxes. It is legal for U.S. residents to own investment accounts that are set up there, if they file the proper forms with the Internal Revenue Service and pay the appropriate taxes.
"I know people will try and find something," Romney said, adding, "We pay full, fair taxes, and you'll see it's a pretty substantial amount."
(Reuters) ? General Electric Co's (GE.N) fourth-quarter revenue fell short of Wall Street expectations, with Europe's weakening economy and weak sales of appliances the main culprits.
But the largest conglomerate held to its forecast of double-digit profit growth this year, saying that it would expand in rapidly growing economies and cut costs in Europe, particularly at its health care arm.
Revenue fell 7.9 percent to $37.97 billion, down from $41.23 billion and below the $40.03 billion analysts had expected. Factoring out the effects of last year's sale of a majority stake in NBC Universal revenue would have been up 4 percent.
In addition to general European weakness, sales of appliances were off, with the home and business solutions division that sells them recording a 4 percent revenue drop.
Sales at GE's energy division, which makes products ranging from electric turbines to equipment used in oil production, were up 19 percent in the quarter, slightly below the company's expectations as some deliveries were shifted out of the fourth quarter into 2012, executives said.
"There are a few challenged markets, like Europe and appliances, but on balance we have a positive outlook," Immelt told investors on a conference call, where he also reiterated the Fairfield, Connecticut-based company's forecast for double-digit earnings growth this year.
The revenue miss concerned investors, overshadowing a penny-per-share earnings beat and sending GE shares down 0.1 percent to $19.13 on the New York Stock Exchange.
This miss is the latest blow for Immelt, who has seen GE shares generally lag the U.S. stock market during his decade as CEO. In the fall of 2007, GE shares briefly topped $40.50, where the stock had closed before Immelt's storied predecessor Jack Welch handed off the reins. Today the shares trade at less than half that price.
Over the past year, GE shares are up 4.5 percent, lagging the 6.8 percent rise of the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) but ahead of the 2.5 percent rise of the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index (.SPX).
"We're concerned about the revenue miss," said Oliver Pursche, president of Gary Goldberg Financial Services in Suffern, New York. "That's really what we're focused on this earnings season. We're not so concerned about being a penny above or below expectations, because that can be handled with accounting."
The world's biggest maker of jet engines and electric turbines said net income from continuing operations rose 0.6 percent to $3.93 billion, or 37 cents per share, compared with $3.90 billion, or 36 cents per share, a year ago.
Factoring out one-time items, profit came to 39 cents per share, above the 38 cents analysts had forecast, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Profit margins at the company's industrial operations were better than expected, analysts noted, with the energy and aviation units showing improvement.
"We anticipated total industrial margin to be weaker overall," wrote BernsteinResearch analyst Steven Winoker, in a note to clients.
Immelt also noted the prices its energy arm is able to charge for its equipment, particularly wind turbines, are stabilizing, which should boost profit margins.
"We see energy pricing stabilizing as we move through 2012 and into 2013," Immelt said.
LESS DEPENDENT ON EUROPE
GE is less dependent on Europe than rivals Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) and Philips Electronics NV (PHG.AS), which earlier this month warned that the Eurozone debt crisis would hurt their results this year.
GE noted that its industrial revenue in emerging markets was up 25 percent in the quarter, with strong growth in Brazil, Russia, China and India.
GE kicked off a wave of earnings reports from big U.S. manufacturers, with blue-chip peers United Technologies Corp (UTX.N), Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) and 3M Co (MMM.N) all due to follow suit over the next week.
"In December, GE indicated that it was managing Europe well. Now that's what is pointed to for the light revenue. I think that's kind of a weak excuse," said Jack De Gan, chief investment officer at Harbor Advisory Corp in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
(Reporting By Scott Malone in Boston, additional reporting by Ryan Vlastelica, Chuck Mikolajczak and Nick Zieminski in New York; Editing by Tim Dobbyn, Derek Caney, Phil Berlowitz)
LONDON (Reuters) ? Texas-based singer Tom Russell has led a picaresque life, from teaching criminology in war-torn Nigeria to playing strip joints in Vancouver's red-light district.
He's lived in Spain and Norway, written songs for Johnny Cash, driven a cab and followed bullfighters in Mexico.
Such experiences have given him plenty to write about in his wry, witty songs that reference figures from British writer Graham Greene to Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.
"My career has gone backwards to most people. I didn't come out of a box with my best-selling records and live off that for the rest of my life," Russell told Reuters in an interview in London. "I feel I'm in great shape to write a lot more."
With his rangy frame, sonorous voice and Stetson, he looks like he would be right at home in a cowboy saloon.
But despite his genial demeanor, death often lurks in his songs. He's lived for the past 15 years in the Texan border town of El Paso.
"From near my house we can see Juarez. The most dangerous city in the world. Right across the border is the frontline of the Mexican drugs war."
The border violence is one theme of Russell's latest recording, "Mesabi," which he is showcasing on a string of dates across Europe this spring. It also deals with Hollywood, fame and falls from grace.
The title refers to the Mesabi Iron Range of northern Minnesota where Bob Dylan hails from.
"I went up there a few years ago to play a gig and I got to see the house in Duluth he was born in and the auditorium where he saw Buddy Holly play when he was a kid. Then I went up to Hibbing."
"I was just amazed that he came from this little mining town on the Mesabi Iron Range. Then I thought of myself as a kid in Los Angeles, listening to his records. So that starts this record off."
The thread moves to Los Angeles, where Russell grew up and watching Disney on a Saturday afternoon was a childhood ritual. The song "Farewell Never Never Land" shows his knack for mining gold from obscure sources.
"It's about Bobby Driscoll. He was the voice of Peter Pan in the Walt Disney cartoon. I found out that he died as an unknown junkie, some kids discovered his body in New York, he's buried in an unmarked grave. How ironic a story is that?
Another song recalls Sterling Hayden, the tough-guy actor and star of "Johnny Guitar," who was wracked by guilt for finking on fellow actors during the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.
Then an ode to Elizabeth Taylor, living with husband Nicky Hilton in an El Paso hotel, takes us to the Mexican border.
Russell has written often about the hardships of Mexican migrants and in "And God Created Border Towns" and "Goodnight Juarez," he laments the violence of the drugs wars.
"Americans tend to want to forget about it -- 30 or 40,000 people have been killed in this drug war that's basically a billion dollar industry and these cartels are killing each other in order to sell us the drugs."
"We're buying the drugs and also selling them the guns. They're killing each other and we have a lot to do with it.
EAST OF WOODSTOCK, WEST OF VIETNAM
In concert, Russell is a hugely entertaining performer, making wisecracks and telling anecdotes between songs. On a recent night at the Cecil Sharp House, home of English folk, he regaled the audience with his off-the-cuff gonzo humor before hushing them with songs of hard times and struggle.
The music was fleshed out with flourishes from flamenco to Mississippi blues from guitarist Thad Beckham that evoked the Tex-Mex border.
As well as his musical adventures, he has published a book of his art work -- "Blue Horse, Red Desert," writes essays on Western life for a ranching magazine. He's also published a detective novel and a book of letters with Charles Bukowski and is working on a novel about Juarez.
His life has often led him down off-beat paths.
Just out of university in Santa Barbara with a masters in criminology, he took a job teaching in Nigeria, then wracked by the war over Biafra.
"In 1969, I didn't go to Woodstock and I didn't go to Vietnam. I went to West Africa. It was an amazingly strange and violent experience, where I grew up very quickly."
"I was arrested getting off the plane because I had taken pictures out of the window and I had no idea it was war zone and you can't do that. There was a U.S. Embassy guy on the plane who bribed my way out of being thrown in jail."
It was during that sojourn that he first read the books of Graham Greene, whose territory also ran from Africa to Mexico.
"I was able to read a lot, read everything. Years later I wrote him a fan letter and he wrote me back a note that I have on my wall in Texas."
But if like Greene, he has found himself a dangerous places and often championed the underdog and the oppressed, he is not staking out a political position.
"I'm not really a political person. My songs certainly aim at a topic but I don't have any overt politics. The song has to be a good song, rather than a song about something that's supposedly good."
Investing could be confusing, particularly for the beginner. Getting some primary ideas can help a starting investor to make informed selections that fit their needs. Each particular person has a special goal when investing and that plays a huge impact on how you invest. The following list explains some issues rookies ought to know before investing.
1. Perceive that there aren?t any set guidelines for investing. There are no guarantees and no good option to invest.
2. Make knowledgeable choices. Before investing in any method you should fully understand how your investment will work and the entire details of the transaction.
3. Make a simple plan to find out your objectives and needs. It will show you how to to find out what investments to make and the way much money to invest.
These three ideas are nice for general investing, but many individuals wish to spend money on the fast paced world of the inventory market. The above tips are a good starting, but the next suggestions will further assist these interested in investing in stocks.
1. Take a look at the worth of the stock instead of the price. Low price stocks may be low for a reason. Take a look at the whole picture. See why the worth is low and if there is a risk it could rise.
2. Examine the businesses return on internet worth. That is the revenue after taxes divided by the net worth. You will need to see a trend of rising return on web worth.
3. Spread out your risk. You should not put all of your money in excessive risk stocks. Attempt some lower risks and some larger risks. This is the best way to protect your money.
4. Understand the fundamentals of inventory prices. Costs transfer up or down relying on future projections.
These four ideas will help a beginning investor begin investing within the inventory market.
It doesn?t matter what kind of funding you are looking into, information will be the key to success. These short tip lists are only the start to understanding investing and the best way to maximize your return. Keep learning and trying.
In case you thirst for more info in regard to diversified investments, swing by Raiya Bendoutifie?s web page right away.
Earlier today, we reported that Rihanna and Chris Brown are hooking up ... according to one tabloid. Well, there's a new twist, and its name is Karrueche Tran.
Us Weekly claims Brown, 22, and Rihanna, 23, have been hooking up in secret for nearly a year, despite his present relationship with model Tran, also 23.
Chris Brown and Karrueche Tran were spotted together as recently as January 12, when he escorted his love to a hair appointment in Pasadena, Calif.
If Rihanna's driving a wedge between them, they're not showing it. Publicly.
Still, Tran is fully aware of his cheating, Us swears, and suspects she knows the locale: "Karrueche thinks Chris' studio is where most of the hookups take place."
She's determined to hang onto Brown despite the presence of the "We Found Love" singer. According to a source, Tran "won't give him up for a few discretions."
Warns the first insider: "Chris is a really passionate guy. He's still a hothead and he does what he wants. He'll go off the grid and she'll wonder what's going on."
"But, at the moment Chris and Karrueche are still a couple."
For the record, Brown's rep denies any rekindled romance with Rihanna. "He and Rihanna are just friends," the rep said. "He's not cheating." So, there's that.
In any case, Karrueche, or Kae as she's often called, is a model, "but she also wants to get into the fashion world more," an alleged insider explains.
"She definitely chased Chris, and it worked! He was really into her in the beginning and still is. He tells her she's so very beautiful all the time."
He's not wrong. Or stable or faithful, depending on what you read.
Ohio law enforcement officers are ready to close the exotic animals escape case, according to USA Today. The exotic pet release in Zanesville last fall prompted emergency animal habitat and care laws in the state.
The investigation report confirmed that exotic farm owner Terry Thompson released 56 dangerous wild animals before shooting himself and no foul play had occurred. Witness statements released in the report discussed Thompson's distraught state of mind because of an estrangement with his wife and a pending home confinement as dictated by the terms of his parole on weapons charges.
Thompson told a federal parole officer he was overwhelmed with the farm just days before releasing the wild animals.
Ohio exotic pet owners and breeders shared their thoughts on the case and new Ohio laws via email, instant messaging and Twitter.
* "If you lived near the Zanesville area you would understand why so many people support the stringent new dangerous animal ownership laws in Ohio. We had such lax laws before that anyone could own, breed and sell lions and tigers and bears. In the worst case scenario like we had here, the animals were housed in deplorable conditions without adherence to proper diet or natural habitat. It is far too dangerous to allow such things to go on. Would you want a bear breeder as a neighbor?" -- Teresa Harkins, dog breeder, Zanesville.
* "What Terry Thompson did should not negatively impact all of us who are responsible exotic animal breeders or owners. I understand the need for much stronger laws about their care, habitat and auctions, but not an outright ban. Boas are even on the list and they are no more dangerous than a German shepherd." -- Lynn Andrews, snake breeders, Marietta.
* "I have owned chimps for nearly 30 years and have never mistreated them or posed a danger to my neighbors. I am more than willing to take a species care examination and be monitored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. My enclosure is safe and as natural as it can be outside of a zoo. I guarantee you that I take better care of my chimps than those at circuses which operate in Ohio. Circuses, no matter how longstanding should not be automatically exempt." -- Dee Mason, chimp sanctuary, Port Clinton.
* "Ohioans can just as easily mistreat common domestic pets as they can reptiles. I can understand that exotics like bears and big cats need far more regulation, but venomous snakes have yet to ever cause a problem like the one that happened in Zanesville. Monitor and license breeders and owners and review the types of animals permitted on an individual basis and not just issue a blanket order." -- Ron Masters, reptile breeder, Mansfield.
* "My neighbors love my pets and know that I take extreme measures to house them safely and properly. I would welcome inspections and am willing to pay annual licensing fees. That depressed man who shot himself in Zanseville is giving a bad name to all exotic pet owners and breeders and it is just not right. He killed himself with a gun bought from a sheriff's deputy who has a dealer's license. Maybe gun dealing laws should be looked at more closely as well. Zoos cannot always take care of the casually discarded animals former owners let go. Small non-profit refuges and breeders often do a lot of for species with dwindling numbers." -- Lucinda Conrad, former big cat owner, Canton.
HIRING OUTLOOK BRIGHTENS: The economy is off to a fast start in 2012. The outlook for hiring has brightened as applications for unemployment benefits near a four-year low.
INFLATION TAME: Consumer prices were flat in December for the second straight month. That gives consumers more spending power and allows the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates low.
OTHER GOOD SIGNS: Business travel is higher and banks are lending more to businesses. Economists are optimistic, though they caution that it is too early to say if the recovery is accelerating.
W&M professor named outstanding scientist for VAPublic release date: 18-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: David Malmquist davem@vims.edu 804-684-7011 Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Governor Bob McDonnell and the Science Museum of Virginia have named Chancellor professor John Milliman of the College of William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science as one of Virginia's Outstanding Scientists for 2012.
The Outstanding Scientist award is bestowed annually to honor those who have excelled in research and commitment to science, and whose contributions to scientific research have extended the boundaries of their own and other fields. Award recipients are selected by a distinguished panel of internationally renowned Virginia scientists.
"This award is richly deserved recognition for John Milliman, and it's splendid not just for him but for VIMS and William & Mary as a whole," said President Taylor Reveley. "John is an internationally renowned marine geologist as well as a master teacher and mentor to his students. By every measure, Dr. Milliman has walked the walk of an outstanding scientist, professor and colleague. He is one of the best."
Milliman, whose career at William & Mary's School of Marine Science at VIMS began in 1993, has conducted groundbreaking research and published seminal works in not just one but two key areas of marine scienceriver discharge and carbonate chemistry. He is also a pioneer in establishing collaborative research ties between the U.S. and China.
Dr. Roger Mann, Director of Research and Advisory Services at VIMS, says "The hallmark of outstanding scientists is the vision they have for both expanding boundaries of scientific knowledge and driving positive societal change. John is a visionary par excellence and a globally recognized leader in marine geology."
River Research
During the past two decades, Milliman's research has focused on studies of how river discharge influences the ocean, and how human actions impact river discharge. This work has culminated in the world's largest river databasewith records from 1,534 rivers around the globeand publication in 2011 of River Discharge to the Coastal Ocean: A Global Synthesis. Co-authored by Dr. Katie Farnsworth, a Ph.D. student with Milliman from 1998-2003 and now an assistant professor at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the book presents a detailed analysis and synthesis of the processes affecting river discharge of water, sediment, and dissolved solids.
VIMS Dean and Director John Wells says "John and Katie's book is a critically important resource at a time when societies around the globe are attempting to manage and plan for the threats of coastal erosion, low-oxygen dead zones, and sea-level rise."
The book reveals how human activities such as dam building, levee construction, and agriculture have drastically altered the nature of river input to the ocean, both decreasing the amount of sediments deposited in deltas and available to protect shorelines, and increasing the inputs of nitrogen and other nutrients that fuel low-oxygen coastal dead zones.
Dr. Bilal Haq, a former colleague of Milliman at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and currently the Director of the Marine Geosciences Programs at the U.S. National Science Foundation, says the book "promises to be an authoritative and influential reference for educators and policymakers for years to come." Professor James Syvitski of the University of Colorado agrees that it's a book for the ages. "Through perseverance," he says, "professor Milliman and students have put together the largest global database on river discharge and sediment transport ever. This work will be honored for centuries."
Haq and others laud Milliman's earlier contributions to river science as well. Haq notes that Milliman's 1992 paper on the global importance of small mountain rivers led to a "paradigm shift in the field," revealing that these steep torrents transport more sediment to ocean basins than all major rivers combinedincluding the Amazon, Mississippi, Congo, and Yangtze. A recent analysis of that 1992 paper showed it to be the fourth most-cited research study among more than 17,000 coastal science articles published between 1975 and 2005.
VIMS professor Steve Kuehl says "Simply put, John is the world's expert on rivers. His 1992 paper and other contributions literally changed the course of major science funding in the coastal ocean for the next two decades."
Carbonate Research
Milliman's research career began with a focus on ocean carbonates. These compounds play a key role in buffering ocean acidity, and serve as the skeletal building blocks of a wide variety of marine organisms, from oysters to corals to single-celled marine phytoplankton. Milliman's 1974 book Marine Carbonates remains the definitive text for geologists and biologists of all stripes.
Dr. Jonathan Warrick of the U.S. Geological Survey says Milliman's work on marine carbonates "established the ocean-wide budget of these important compounds" and "has defined how the ocean will respond to acidification under the elevated carbon dioxide concentrations of the coming centuries." Rising ocean acidity has already been implicated in causing harm to coral reefs and shellfish beds due to dissolution of the organisms' skeletons and shells.
To date, Milliman has published more than 200 peer-reviewed research papers during his 46-year career, many of them highly cited by subsequent researchers. Syvitski, using a metric he developed as director of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, says "John has written 8 platinum papers [with more than 50 citations] and another 24 gold papers [with more than 100 citations]. If his success were in the field of music, he would surely be entered in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame beside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones."
Education
In addition to his research accomplishments, Milliman has also played an important role in the education program at VIMS, serving as the Dean of Graduate Studies from 1993-1999, and as the major advisor for 10 graduate students and as a committee member for 18 others.
Professor Carl Friedrichs, chair of the Physical Sciences Department at VIMS, says "a hallmark of John's service as Graduate Dean was his commitment to recruit students from under-represented groups." Milliman was instrumental in strengthening VIMS' Research Experience for Undergraduates program, now in its 22nd year. A 2010 survey of VIMS REU alumni shows that 66% of those from minority groups have gone on to pursue careers or higher degrees in science or engineering.
Milliman teaches a number of graduate and undergraduate courses, including "Marine Geology," "Tropical Carbonates," and "Rivers: Processes and Management." The latter includes a popular weeklong Spring Break field trip to study the rivers of California.
Testimonials from former students speak to the enthusiasm and joy that Milliman brings to his work. Dr. J. Paul Liu, (VIMS Ph.D. 2001) says "The most important thing John taught me wasn't only the knowledge of marine geology, but the attitude to do research, particularly the way to see the big picture. His enjoyment of doing research in both the lab and field really attracted me and led me to the academic field."
Farnsworth says "The most important education John provided was to allow me to share in his passion for his work. You can't miss it standing in the pouring rain on a shaking bridge with the flooded Ventura River rushing beneath you. If you had been lucky enough to be there with us, you would have seen the smile on his face and the excitement in his eyes."
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W&M professor named outstanding scientist for VAPublic release date: 18-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: David Malmquist davem@vims.edu 804-684-7011 Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Governor Bob McDonnell and the Science Museum of Virginia have named Chancellor professor John Milliman of the College of William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science as one of Virginia's Outstanding Scientists for 2012.
The Outstanding Scientist award is bestowed annually to honor those who have excelled in research and commitment to science, and whose contributions to scientific research have extended the boundaries of their own and other fields. Award recipients are selected by a distinguished panel of internationally renowned Virginia scientists.
"This award is richly deserved recognition for John Milliman, and it's splendid not just for him but for VIMS and William & Mary as a whole," said President Taylor Reveley. "John is an internationally renowned marine geologist as well as a master teacher and mentor to his students. By every measure, Dr. Milliman has walked the walk of an outstanding scientist, professor and colleague. He is one of the best."
Milliman, whose career at William & Mary's School of Marine Science at VIMS began in 1993, has conducted groundbreaking research and published seminal works in not just one but two key areas of marine scienceriver discharge and carbonate chemistry. He is also a pioneer in establishing collaborative research ties between the U.S. and China.
Dr. Roger Mann, Director of Research and Advisory Services at VIMS, says "The hallmark of outstanding scientists is the vision they have for both expanding boundaries of scientific knowledge and driving positive societal change. John is a visionary par excellence and a globally recognized leader in marine geology."
River Research
During the past two decades, Milliman's research has focused on studies of how river discharge influences the ocean, and how human actions impact river discharge. This work has culminated in the world's largest river databasewith records from 1,534 rivers around the globeand publication in 2011 of River Discharge to the Coastal Ocean: A Global Synthesis. Co-authored by Dr. Katie Farnsworth, a Ph.D. student with Milliman from 1998-2003 and now an assistant professor at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the book presents a detailed analysis and synthesis of the processes affecting river discharge of water, sediment, and dissolved solids.
VIMS Dean and Director John Wells says "John and Katie's book is a critically important resource at a time when societies around the globe are attempting to manage and plan for the threats of coastal erosion, low-oxygen dead zones, and sea-level rise."
The book reveals how human activities such as dam building, levee construction, and agriculture have drastically altered the nature of river input to the ocean, both decreasing the amount of sediments deposited in deltas and available to protect shorelines, and increasing the inputs of nitrogen and other nutrients that fuel low-oxygen coastal dead zones.
Dr. Bilal Haq, a former colleague of Milliman at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and currently the Director of the Marine Geosciences Programs at the U.S. National Science Foundation, says the book "promises to be an authoritative and influential reference for educators and policymakers for years to come." Professor James Syvitski of the University of Colorado agrees that it's a book for the ages. "Through perseverance," he says, "professor Milliman and students have put together the largest global database on river discharge and sediment transport ever. This work will be honored for centuries."
Haq and others laud Milliman's earlier contributions to river science as well. Haq notes that Milliman's 1992 paper on the global importance of small mountain rivers led to a "paradigm shift in the field," revealing that these steep torrents transport more sediment to ocean basins than all major rivers combinedincluding the Amazon, Mississippi, Congo, and Yangtze. A recent analysis of that 1992 paper showed it to be the fourth most-cited research study among more than 17,000 coastal science articles published between 1975 and 2005.
VIMS professor Steve Kuehl says "Simply put, John is the world's expert on rivers. His 1992 paper and other contributions literally changed the course of major science funding in the coastal ocean for the next two decades."
Carbonate Research
Milliman's research career began with a focus on ocean carbonates. These compounds play a key role in buffering ocean acidity, and serve as the skeletal building blocks of a wide variety of marine organisms, from oysters to corals to single-celled marine phytoplankton. Milliman's 1974 book Marine Carbonates remains the definitive text for geologists and biologists of all stripes.
Dr. Jonathan Warrick of the U.S. Geological Survey says Milliman's work on marine carbonates "established the ocean-wide budget of these important compounds" and "has defined how the ocean will respond to acidification under the elevated carbon dioxide concentrations of the coming centuries." Rising ocean acidity has already been implicated in causing harm to coral reefs and shellfish beds due to dissolution of the organisms' skeletons and shells.
To date, Milliman has published more than 200 peer-reviewed research papers during his 46-year career, many of them highly cited by subsequent researchers. Syvitski, using a metric he developed as director of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, says "John has written 8 platinum papers [with more than 50 citations] and another 24 gold papers [with more than 100 citations]. If his success were in the field of music, he would surely be entered in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame beside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones."
Education
In addition to his research accomplishments, Milliman has also played an important role in the education program at VIMS, serving as the Dean of Graduate Studies from 1993-1999, and as the major advisor for 10 graduate students and as a committee member for 18 others.
Professor Carl Friedrichs, chair of the Physical Sciences Department at VIMS, says "a hallmark of John's service as Graduate Dean was his commitment to recruit students from under-represented groups." Milliman was instrumental in strengthening VIMS' Research Experience for Undergraduates program, now in its 22nd year. A 2010 survey of VIMS REU alumni shows that 66% of those from minority groups have gone on to pursue careers or higher degrees in science or engineering.
Milliman teaches a number of graduate and undergraduate courses, including "Marine Geology," "Tropical Carbonates," and "Rivers: Processes and Management." The latter includes a popular weeklong Spring Break field trip to study the rivers of California.
Testimonials from former students speak to the enthusiasm and joy that Milliman brings to his work. Dr. J. Paul Liu, (VIMS Ph.D. 2001) says "The most important thing John taught me wasn't only the knowledge of marine geology, but the attitude to do research, particularly the way to see the big picture. His enjoyment of doing research in both the lab and field really attracted me and led me to the academic field."
Farnsworth says "The most important education John provided was to allow me to share in his passion for his work. You can't miss it standing in the pouring rain on a shaking bridge with the flooded Ventura River rushing beneath you. If you had been lucky enough to be there with us, you would have seen the smile on his face and the excitement in his eyes."
###
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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.
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