Author admits faking quotes in Bob Dylan book

NEW YORK?? A staff writer for The New Yorker has resigned and his latest book has been halted after he acknowledged inventing quotes by Bob Dylan.

Jonah Lehrer released a statement Monday through his publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, saying that some Dylan quotes appearing in his book "Imagine: How Creativity Works" did "not exist." Others were "unintentional misquotations, or represented improper combinations of previously existing quotes."

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Lehrer said he acknowledged his actions after being contacted by Michael Moynihan of the online publication Tablet Magazine, which earlier Monday released an in-depth story on the Dylan passages in "Imagine"

"I told Mr. Moynihan that they (the quotes in question) were from archival interview footage provided to me by Dylan's representatives. This was a lie spoken in a moment of panic. When Mr. Moynihan followed up, I continued to lie, and say things I should not have said," Lehrer wrote in his statement.

"The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down, especially my editors and readers."

Houghton Mifflin said in a statement that Lehrer had committed a "serious misuse." Listings for the e-book edition of "Imagine" will be removed and shipments of the physical book have been stopped. "Imagine" was published in March and had been selling well, ranking No. 105 on Amazon.com as of midday Monday.

The 31-year-old Lehrer, once a rising star at The New Yorker, was already in trouble with the magazine after he acknowledged last month that he had recycled passages he had written for previous publications. Some recycled passages also appeared in "Imagine," the latest of three books by Lehrer, who is known for his explorations of science and literature and how the mind works.

Among Lehrer's inventions was a quote that first appeared in the famous documentary from the mid-1960s, "Don't Look Back," in which Dylan tells a reporter about his songs that "I just write them. There's no great message." In "Imagine," Lehrer adds a third sentence ? "Stop asking me to explain" ? that does not appear in the film.

According to Tablet, Lehrer also invented quotes on how Dylan wrote "Like a Rolling Stone" and, when confronted about them, alleged that he had been granted access to an uncut version of "No Direction Home," a Dylan documentary made by Martin Scorsese. Lehrer now says he never saw such footage.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/48404465/ns/today-books/

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Baby's 1st Wedding | Babys First Year Blog

My (technically?future) sister-in-law had her wedding reception on Saturday.

You may remember we went to Mexico a while back for her ?official? wedding, a destination affair. As with most destination weddings, ?the couple?usually?opt for having a?reception?back home, to celebrate with the family and friends who couldn?t make it.

Among the crew who didn?t make it, were our children. Even though they were at the resort with us, they had to go to the daycare as both the mister and I were on duty. I, the photographer and the mister as the musician.

It was held at the g-rents house (her parents, obviously). They have a grand and gorgeous backyard, big enough to host said affair. It really was the perfect spot, with a pretty white gazebo,?perennial?and annual gardens galore.

And the hostas. Oh my word, but the MIL is a hosta QUEEN.

Abby and her bro Wyndham got all dressed up and partied until the sun went down. It was such a kid friendly event, huge props to Sarah (the SIL) on organizing everything so well. We stuck close to the craft and bubble table,?because?BUBBLES. CRAFTS. GLITTER. Basically baby and toddler bliss.

Even though we missed bed-time and dinner was late, my little girl didn?t bat an eyelash. (Which means she didn?t melt-down). She and her brother even fell asleep upstairs with the band going full-tilt-boogie. Which just goes to show ? parents can still partake in some debauchery now and then. They just have to pay for it in the morning. And oh, did we pay for it in the morning. Thank goodness for grand-parents.

**************************************************************

Selena is a crafty, culinary mom. Creative Director. Social Media & Branding Consultant. Regular writer on?Disney Baby. Part-time big-mouth & frequent foot-eater. Proud of her?Anishinaabe?roots.

More Babbles

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You can also find me over yonder?

Via my humble?beginnings, mastering in general mayhem:?le petit r?ve
Of guilty pleasures, geekery and badassery: on the?Twitters
Connect to my hand-made personna on:?Facebook
Join me in my?Pinterest?or?Instagram?addictions

Source: http://blogs.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/2012/07/30/babys-1st-wedding/

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Kickstarter and The Million Dollar Campaign : MusicRow ...

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Amanda Palmer promoting her Kickstarter campaign

Three months ago Kickstarter celebrated its third anniversary collecting funds for creative projects. With the system, the general public is able to kick start projects?with financial support?to receive rewards.

Kickstarter began publicly releasing its statistics June 21, 2012. Since the company?s launch in April 2009, $302 million has been pledged towards projects classified in 13 categories including music, film/video, publishing, art, theater, and photography.

Fifty-four percent of Music campaigns have reached their goals, Country being the most successful genre at 62%. The catch, however, is that donations are paid on an all-or-nothing basis. Meaning, if the forecasted financial goal is not met, all pledges will be void and the project remains unfunded.

With a total of 65,425 projects launched for all categories (3,756 in progress), and an overall success rate of 44.01%, the paid total equates to some $249?million.

In May, musician Amanda Palmer set out to raise $100,000 with her campaign. Thirty days later, the musician became an anomaly, breaking the $1 million mark with the support of almost 25,000 backers. Palmer?s $1.2 million marks Kickstarter?s seventh most profitable campaign?the highest being for a watch that syncs with smartphones that reached $10.3 million.

It is worth mentioning that Palmer did not get her start with this Kickstarter project. She had an established following from a Roadrunner Records deal as part of The Dresden Dolls. When the duo separated from the label in 2010, Palmer maintained constant communication with fans online.

For creators, clearly defined goals with fun and creative incentives are key. Palmer?s fans received a digital album for donations of just $1; a PDF for $5; $25 and $50 for digital plus CD or vinyl, respectively; and a limited-edition art book?plus the above?for $125. Kickstarter outlined a breakdown of the rewards with the corresponding graph.

Of nearly 23,000 digital pre-orders, a notable 80% of Palmer?s backers paid in excess to receive tangible additions including private shows, personal mixtapes, and studio visits.

In a May 22 blog post, Palmer debunks a frequent question of: ?Are you loaded?? with a detailed analysis of the cost layout for overhead, rewards, and touring, noting she will personally take home about $100,000:

It COSTS REAL MONEY to manufacture and distribute a record, to have a staff and a publicist, to promote an artist and tour a band. That will never truly change.? But now, because we can reach out fans directly without the machine, artists are empowered to call the shots and keep whatever?s leftover?not the labels. Of course, I could send cheap-ass jewel case CDs, fire my staff, make a cheap book on xerox paper, and tour just with a solo piano?with no crew, no band?.and RAKE IN THE DOUGH. I could potentially do that and walk with close to half a million dollars. but the products would suck and nobody would ever trust me again.

There are no fees to begin a campaign, but successful projects are subject to a 5% Kickstarter fee and anywhere from 5-10% processing fee from Amazon.?The company is based out of?New York, currently supporting a staff of 39.

Tags: featured-2

Category: Artist, Featured, Sales/Marketing

Source: http://www.musicrow.com/2012/07/kickstarter-and-the-million-dollar-campaign/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kickstarter-and-the-million-dollar-campaign

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LA Times adds three more entertainment reporters - LA Observed

These include yet another body devoted to coverage of entertainment industry awards and another covering TV, plus the return of a slot based in New York. The memo from John Corrigan, the new editor over arts and entertainment coverage at the Times:

To: The Staff

From: John Corrigan, Assistant Managing Editor, Arts and Entertainment

I?m excited to announce the hiring of three new reporters, who will play key roles in ramping up our coverage of the film and television industries and giving our readers the best entertainment report in the business.

These new staff writers will help us expand the Envelope?s coverage of the awards season and enable us to put a sharper focus on the important indie film scene.

What?s more, we?ll once again have an entertainment reporter in New York City, giving us a crucial perch and time advantage to cover news and features coming from the East Coast.

Please join me in welcoming:

--Glenn Whipp. A frequent contributor who has covered Hollywood for two decades, Glenn is joining the staff full time as the anchor reporter for the Envelope ? with the special mission of making the online version as compelling as the print edition. With his frequent posts, Glenn will ensure readers are up-to-date on all awards-related news and developments, while also contributing first-rate analysis and events coverage. He?ll also serve as front man for the Envelope, conducting videotaped interviews with the key contenders. Glenn will work closely with Envelope editor Elena Howe in adding an array of new features. Glenn starts work today.

A journalism graduate of Biola University, Glenn is a longtime member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. and has written and reviewed for publications including Variety, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Daily News and MSN Movies.

--Meredith Blake. Another Times contributor, Meredith is joining the team as a New York-based entertainment writer. Meredith has built a strong fan base with her smart and witty recaps of the late-night TV talk shows and ?Mad Men? episodes on our Show Tracker blog. As a full-time staff writer, Meredith will help us bolster our coverage of the television and media industries.

Meredith has a bachelor?s degree from Georgetown and a master?s from NYU. She previously worked as a freelance Web producer for abcnews.com, providing Web content for ?Nightline,? ?20/20? and ?Good Morning America.? She has been a regular contributor to the New Yorker?s literary blog, and has written for publications including Rolling Stone, the Atlantic and the Paris Review. Meredith, who starts Aug. 6, will report to television editor Martin Miller.

--Mark Olsen. Few people know the independent film scene like Mark Olsen. For the past three years, he?s written the Indie Focus film feature for Sunday Calendar and the Envelope, along with contributing to our coverage of the Sundance, SXSW and Toronto film festivals. As a full-time staff writer, Mark will be able to report other news and features on this important aspect of the movie business, and help bolster our coverage of documentaries and foreign films.

Mark has a bachelor?s degree from the University of Kansas and a master?s in cinema studies from NYU. He has been a contributing editor to Film Comment, and has written on film for publications including the New York Times, Vanityfair.com and L.A. Weekly. He starts Aug. 20 and will report to film editor Julie Makinen.

Source: http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2012/07/la_times_adds_three_more.php

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OfficeMax: Select Student Backpacks, NFL & NCAA Bags, Laptop Backpacks & More $0.01 after MaxPerks Rewards

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Source: http://www.dealigg.com/story-OfficeMax-Select-Student-Backpacks-NFL-NCAA-Bags-Messenger-Sling-Bags-Laptop-Backpacks-0-01

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Mitt Romney in Israel - Le?gal In?sur?rec?tion

Let me be as clear as I can be.? Anyone who supports Israel must vote for Romney.??Obama, in complete control of foreign and military policy, will be unrestrained by electoral considerations in a second term, and will impose his vision of a Middle East settlement on the Israelis.? There won?t be a thing Congress or public opinion will be able to do about it.

There are signs, tentative as they may be, that Jewish support for Obama is waning.? The best sign of slippage is that Nancy Pelosi has begun demagoguing the issue, claiming Jews are being manipulated by Republicans on the issue of Israel.

Mitt Romney is in Israel.? Here are some of the highlights and headlines.

Romney gave a strong speech, declaring his support for Jerusalem as Israel?s capital:

Jeffrey Goldberg claims it was ?vulgar? for Romney to visit the Western Wall on the Jewish holiday commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples.? I call political?bullshit on Goldberg for trying to score a?cheap political point himself, and so does Carl at Israel Matzav.

Carl also has a fascinating history of a prior prominent Mormon who visited the Western Wall a century ago and went on to save 200,000 Jews in Europe.

Updates:

Twitchy ? Left enraged that Romney called Jerusalem capital of Israel

Daniel Pipes ? Romney?s Remarkable Speech in Jerusalem

Mitt Romney, the all-but-official Republican presidential candidate, delivered a stem-winder of a speech to the Jerusalem Foundation today, packing emotional support with frank policy statements. The contrast with Obama could hardly be more dramatic. Indeed, one could go through the speech and note the many refutations of Obama. For example, the opening comment that ?To step foot into Israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an ancient promise made in this land? directly contrasts with Obama?s crabbed statement in Cairo about ?the aspiration for a Jewish homeland [being] rooted in a tragic history.?

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/07/mitt-romney-in-israel/

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Oil & Gas - Argentina - Americas Petrogas production hits 2,830b/d

Canadian oil junior Americas Petrogas (TSX-V: BOE) has reached production of 2,830b/d at its Medanito Sur and Rinconada Norte operations in Argentina'...

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Source: http://member.bnamericas.com/news/oilandgas/americas-petrogas-production-hits-2830b-d

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Tax havens help rich hide $21 trillion, study shows

By F. Brinley Bruton, NBC News

Thanks to lax international tax rules the world?s super rich have siphoned at least $21 trillion -- more than 50 percent larger?than the entire U.S. economy -- into secretive tax-free havens, according to a study by UK campaign group Tax Justice Network.

The report by James Henry, a former economist at international consultancy McKinsey & Co., shows how with the help of private banks the money has flowed into countries such as Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

?We?re basically talking about a black hole in the world economy,? Henry told NBCNews.com. ?

The figure of $21 trillion in off-shore funds is conservative and the true sum could be as high as $32 trillion, Henry said.

According to the study, the world?s top 50 private banks managed more than $12.3 trillion in 2010 in off-shore financial assets, up from $7.5 trillion five years earlier.

In 2010, the world?s top 10 financial institutions -- which today include the U.S.?s Goldman Sachs and JPMorganChase, as well as Switzerland?s UBS and Credit Suisse -- ?controlled about half of this amount. At least seven of these top 10 institutions received huge bailouts in the wake of the financial crisis, Henry said.?

?This isn?t a bunch of shady third-world banks -- these are some of the premier institutions in the world,? Henry said. ?JP Morgan, Citibank, Barclays, UBS -- the top 10 to 20 banks these are some of the ones who received most of the financial bailout, who were involved in the mortgage fiasco, the Libor rates scandal.?

?Now we find out that they have been spending a lot of time helping very wealthy people avoid taxes,? he added.

Indeed, the report comes at a troubling time for a banking industry reeling from a multi-country probe into the manipulation of global benchmark rates. Last month,?British bank Barclays agreed to pay a $453 million fine to settle a U.S.-British probe into the rigging of the interest rate known as the London interbank offered rate, or Libor, that affects debt from student loans?to mortgages.

That follows years of international turbulence and huge bailouts sparked by the subprime lending crisis in the United States.

While many of the tax-avoiding rich hail from developed countries in Europe and North America, the newly wealthy in developing countries, such as China and India, have siphoned off enough in the last 40 years to pay off their countries' respective debts, Henry said.

Growing anger at tax evasion
The report -- based on information from the Bank of International Settlements, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and national governments -- comes amid growing international concern and anger about tax evasion. It is especially poignant as many countries are struggling under harsh austerity programs to reduce their debt burdens.

The issue jumped into the headlines earlier in July when a United States Senate report said that a "pervasively polluted" culture at global bank HSBC -- also named in the study -- helped clients move shadowy funds from the world's most dangerous and secretive corners, including Mexico, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

The failings and lax controls inside HSBC included an inability to properly monitor $15 billion in bulk cash transactions between mid-2006 and mid-2009, inadequate staffing and high turnover in the bank's compliance units, the Senate report said.

British tax expert John Whiting said he was skeptical that the amount being squirreled away by the very rich was quite large as the study claimed.

?As much as anything -- I have no alternative evidence -- the figures just seem so large,? said Whiting, who is tax policy director at the Chartered Institution of Taxation.

But whatever the exact figures, he said the issues raised in the report are real and deserve to be addressed.

?I?m not denying that this is a problem, it?s just the size of it,? he added. ?What is happening with all this money??

So while experts may disagree on the exact numbers, the study sheds light not only on how the murky world of off-shore tax havens, and the growing disparity between the super-rich and everybody else.

This sort of disparity can create popular resentment and eventually unrest, according to Paul De Grauwe, a prominent economist and professor at the London School of Economics.

?Fairness is essential to provide the glue to any system,? he told NBC News.com.? ?It is important to take out these excesses ? people will always try to evade taxes (but) when this has taken on proportions that we?ve seen today you can get violent reactions.?

In other words, while evasion and other similar schemes have likely been employed since governments first began levying taxes, the practices exposed in Henry?s report are likely to spark popular resentment given the austerity and crisis that many countries around the world are enduring.

?On one hand people are asked to cut their wages and live in poverty because banks have to be saved,? De Grauwe said. ??And these same banks use all sorts of tech to help superrich to evade taxes.??

More money and business news:

Follow NBCNews.com business on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/23/12903523-a-money-black-hole-rich-hide-at-least-21-trillion-in-tax-havens-study-shows?lite

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Watch Live (talking-points-memo)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/238163089?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Report released on how tornado outbreak was handled

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- A new report came out on how local fire departments handled the tornado outbreak in 2011.

The U.S. Fire Administration report said while some communities were better prepared than others, many responders admitted to not knowing the details of their community emergency operations plans.

They also said there is a greater need for more disaster management training and communication.

Harvest Fire Chief Tim Westwick said it is difficult to prepare for disaster like last April, but volunteer departments do the best they can.

"There might be some critiquing on the communication; you got to do what you got to do. We communicate by radio out there, held it tight out there, keep it going, triaged and everybody was wonderful," he said.

Many fire departments said they've tweaked their response plans since that day.

They are prepared no matter what disaster strikes.

Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved.

Source: http://ftpayne.waff.com/news/news/77961-report-released-how-tornado-outbreak-was-handled

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Microsoft?s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Decade

Microsoft capped off decades of regular growth with their first down quarter in history. This news, coupled with a number of stories regarding Microsoft's bureaucratic malaise and slow Windows Phone handset sales point to the company essentially losing the hearts and minds of their most ardent supporters. Microsoft had many wins. The Xbox is a notable success and Windows 8 could lead to a sea change in user interface and user experience. However, given the steady stream of duds popped out by MS over the past few years - Zune, C#, Vista, and the Kin phone family (not to mention their insistent failure to capitalize on touch or web infrastructure servers) - it's not hard to see why the bloom is off the Microsoft rose. The company is huge - 94,290 according to the official ledger - and as Kurt Eichenwald notes in Vanity Fair, the company's strange bell curve ranking system has frustrated their best and brightest engineers. Freshly minted MBAs and CS majors have been shown, time and time again, that there is no value in going after Microsoft millions when Google and the rest of Silicon Valley is right down the coast.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UkEkQegA2PU/

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Google's 2Q earnings rise as clicks on ads soar

FILE- In this Thursday, April 12, 2012, photo, a Google logo is displayed at the headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Google Inc. reports quarterly financial results after the market closes on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

FILE- In this Thursday, April 12, 2012, photo, a Google logo is displayed at the headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Google Inc. reports quarterly financial results after the market closes on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

FILE- In this Thursday, April 12, 2012, file photo, Google workers ride bikes outside of Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Google Inc. reports quarterly financial results after the market closes on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Google earnings hit analysts' target as refinements to the company's Internet search technology lured more Web surfers to click on its revenue-producing ads.

The performance announced Thursday seemed to ease investor concerns that have caused Google's stock to fall so far this year while the major market indexes have posted gains.

Google shares added $19.44, or more than 3 percent, to reach $612.50 in extended trading after the report came out.

The results included Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of cellphone maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. for the first time. Google Inc. owned Motorola for the final 39 days of the quarter ending in June.

Excluding Motorola, Google's revenue during the quarter would have grown at the slowest pace since 2009. That slowdown stemmed primarily from the economic turmoil in Europe that has weakened currencies overseas, resulting in less revenue when sales are converted into U.S. dollars.

The uncertainty caused by heavy government debt burdens in Europe also contributed to "somewhat difficult" conditions, Google Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette told analysts during a Thursday conference call.

As expected, Google CEO Larry Page skipped the conference call while he recovered from an unspecified throat problem that the company revealed at its annual stockholders' meeting last month.

Google earned $2.8 billion, or $8.42 per share, during the three months ending in June. That compared with net income of $2.5 billion, or $7.68 per share, last year.

The earnings would have been $10.12 per share, if not for Google's accounting costs for employee stock compensation and the Motorola deal. That figure was in line with the average estimate of $10.10 per share among analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue climbed 35 percent from last year to $12.2 billion. If not for Motorola, revenue would have increased 21 percent. That would have been Google's slowest rate of revenue growth since the fourth quarter of 2009 when the company was just starting to recover from the Great Recession.

Google's revenue, excluding Motorola, stood at $8.36 billion after subtracting the ad commissions paid to is advertising partners. That was about $70 million below analyst projections.

The second-quarter numbers were propelled by technology changes that feature more advertising links when Google's search formula concludes a user's request is driven by a desire to buy a product, book a vacation or make some kind of other commercial transaction. As it gathers more data about users, Google also believes it can do a better job interpreting people's individual interests so it can tailor ads to suit their preference.

The improvements appeared to pay off in the latest quarter. The number of total clicks on Google's ads during the second quarter increased 42 percent from the same time last year.

That activity is crucial to Google because the company usually only gets paid when a Web surfer clicks on an advertising link.

The increasing volume in clicks helped Google shake off a deepening decline in its ad prices. The average price per click plunged 16 percent from last year. It marked the third consecutive quarter of year-over-year erosion in Google's ad prices. The previous decreases ranged from 8 percent to 12 percent.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-19-US-Earns-Google/id-8f3d85f96a984e23975256b2861cad0c

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Home starts rise, adding to hopes of housing recovery

Builders broke ground on the most new homes in more than three years, government data showed Wednesday, adding to evidence that the housing recovery is?standing on firmer legs.

The Commerce Department reported that privately-owned housing starts?hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 760,000, up 6.9 percent from May's revised 711,000. It's also almost 24 percent above the rate in June?of last year.

The reading, which is prone to significant revisions, was above the median forecast in a Reuters poll of a 745,000-unit rate.

Building permits, which are a good indicator of future construction activity, slid 3.7 percent to a 755,000 pace.

The U.S. housing market, which collapsed six years ago, has been a relative bright spot in the economy this year, although it remains hobbled by a glut of unsold homes.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Tuesday the sector has shown modest improvement.

On Wednesday, the Mortgage Bankers Association said applications for loans to buy homes jumped last week as the interest rate on 30-year mortgages fell to a record low. In recent weeks, other private groups have said signed contracts for home purchases rose sharply in May and home prices rose that month.

The Commerce Department's revisions to data on housing starts from prior months were also upbeat. Groundbreaking during May was revised up to a 711,000-unit pace from a previously reported 708,000 unit rate. April's reading was also revised slightly higher.

Still, the broader U.S. economy has looked much more wobbly of late, and the housing sector is now so small it provides limited support. Indeed, if the recovery fails and the country tips back into recession, housing would also suffer.

Related story: Fed, Congress fiddle while economy stumbles

?

In Bernanke's testimony before lawmakers on Tuesday, he said the U.S. economic recovery was being held back by anxiety over Europe's debt crisis and the path of U.S. fiscal policy. Planned belt tightening by the U.S. government in 2013 would send the country into recession, he said.

While Bernanke offered few new clues about whether the U.S. central bank was moving closer to a fresh round of monetary stimulus, he said policymakers meeting later this month would be looking closely for signs of any stall in the recovery of the labor market.

The pace of hiring in the United States slowed sharply in the second quarter, as did growth in factory output. Retail sales have also flagged in recent months.

The Commerce Department's report showed the increase in housing starts in June was spread broadly throughout the sector, with groundbreaking for single-family homes up 4.7 percent. This segment accounts for most of the market. Starts for multi-family homes - one of the report's more volatile readings - rose 12.8 percent.

Reuters contributed to this report.?

Source: http://economywatch.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/18/12809841-home-starts-rise-adding-to-view-of-housing-recovery?lite

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Source: http://twitter.com/io9/statuses/223842485456216064

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How I created an algorithm for Spider-Man

MINNEAPOLIS?? As a physics professor, I don?t usually take requests to create a new mathematical formula on demand, but when the call came from Hollywood for an equation for cellular regeneration, my only concern was whether I would have it ready by Monday.

The equation I provided appears in Sony?s "The Amazing Spider-Man," the latest take on the Spidey Saga.

The request came from Andy Siegel, the prop master of the film.? He needed a mathematical expression that would be distinctive and memorable, so that the audience would recognize it at various points throughout the film. In addition to being a mild-mannered physics professor at the University of Minnesota, I had volunteered as one of the science consultants on the film.? For this opportunity I would like to thank the Academy ? the National Academy of Sciences, that is.

Hollywood has been calling on academia more and more for assistance in creating believable fake realities, a relationship that dates back to the early days of cinema. Rocket scientist Wernher von Braun served as a science consultant for Fritz Lang?s 1929 "Woman on the Moon," notable for the first time that a countdown was invoked as a prelude to a rocket launch, in both cinema and the real world.

Matchmaker for the movies
As the number of science-fiction and superhero films and television programs has increased of late, so have the requests for technical advice from the scientific community. In 2008, the National Academy launched the Science and Entertainment Exchange, a program that serves as a matchmaker for scientists and the creators of TV shows and films.

1. More science news from msnbc.com

   1. Superheroes join forces with science

      Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: Maybe Batman couldn't swoop to safety using his cape as a glider, and maybe psychologists would question his sanity ? but even Hollywood's superheroes have to pay some attention to scientific realities.

   2. How I created an algorithm for Spider-Man
   3. Has Amelia Earhart's beauty case been found?
   4. Remains of 15 unearthed in ancient settlement

Whether it is providing the physics equations on Sheldon Cooper?s white board in CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" or outfitting Tony Stark?s laboratory in "Iron Man," we scientists have been asked to add our 2 cents to the creative process. Hollywood creators appreciate our contributions, for they realize that when the audience is questioning the physics of what they are watching or the authenticity of the laboratory set, that's a moment when they are not paying attention to the story.

The goal is not to ensure that everything on the screen is 100 percent scientifically accurate ? which would, after all, defeat the purpose of the escapist fantasy we have paid our money to watch ? but rather to get it just right enough to maintain the audience?s suspension of disbelief.

Being a physics professor who is also a fan of superhero comic books (I created a class at Minnesota titled: ?Everything I Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books?) I recognize that one must invoke a "miracle exception from the laws of nature" in order to justify "spider-powers" or men mutated into giant lizards.? When Andy Siegel asked me to create an equation that would relate to cell regeneration and human mortality ? an equation called the "Decay Rate Algorithm" in the film ? I nevertheless wanted to ground the formula in real science.? Naturally, I thought of the Gompertz equation.

The Gompertz equation?
Have you ever wondered what determines the average person?s lifespan?? If you are careful and avoid fatal accidents, what are your chances of dying, once you make it to, say, 25 years of age? A natural first guess would be that in any given year, there?s a certain constant probability of dying.

Think of it as the "Death Lottery," the competition where no one wants to "win" the jackpot, but we all do eventually. Unlike a real lottery, your chance of dying is not the same regardless of your age.? If it were, there would be some people who could go quite a long time without passing away, just as I?m able to not win the Lotto week after week. It?s easy to show that if your chance of dying remained unchanged as you get older, then with billions of people on the planet, there would be millions who are 350 years old or older. Of course this is not the case, and in fact, few ever make it to over 110, That suggests that the odds change as we get older, and in fact the game is rigged so that we all "win" in the end.

As we get older, the probability of dying is not the same as when we are younger, but actually increases.? It would not be hard to win the Lotto if the odds of matching the winning numbers got better for you the longer you played. The mathematical expression for the probability of surviving to a given age, incorporating a mortality rate that increases with age, was first identified by Benjamin Gompertz in 1825 and is named after him.

Why does the mortality rate rise as we age?? My colleague at Minnesota, Professor Boris Shklovskii, has proposed an explanation that starts with single defective cells that malfunction (say, by forming tumors or producing defective proteins that can lead to Alzheimer?s). The cells become fatal when allowed to multiply, growing to a critical population size. The body?s immune response, upon encountering a rogue cell, will destroy it ? thus preventing it from reaching a lethal stage.

The defective cells may be thought of as criminals, and the body?s defenses as patrolling police officers. When we are in our youthful prime, it is equivalent to having many cops on the street. Crime has a difficult time getting a toehold.? A continuous series of budget cuts would reduce the number of available police officers, so eventually crime would win out.? Similarly, as we age, either an accumulation of mutations or a natural degradation of the organism?s ability to maintain its previous immunological state increases the chances that the populations of defective cells could grow to a lethal size.

Science as a superpower
To me, the above argument illustrates the power and beauty of science.? Patterns in natural phenomena lie waiting to be discovered, whether in the laboratory, in observatories or actuarial tables.? Our efforts to account for and explain these patterns deepen our understanding of nature.

In some cases, this understanding turns out to be very useful.? Efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the sequence of wavelengths of light emitted by atoms at the start of the 20th century led physicists to develop quantum mechanics, which enabled the construction of the laser and the transistor, and eventually, cell phones, laptop computers and magnetic resonance imaging.? Patterns first, products (sometimes) later.

Armed with this background, I was ready to provide an equation to Andy Siegel, but I did not want to just simply send him the actual Gompertz equation, as there would seem to be little reason for the professional scientists in the film to not already know it.? I therefore combined expressions from ?The Reliability Theory of Aging and Longevity? by Leonid Gavrilov and Natalia Gavrilova into a single formula, and added extra terms (?mathematical glitter,? if you will) so that it would appear sufficiently complex. (The actual Gompertz equation can be written in a simple and compact manner that did not meet the visual needs of the filmmakers.)?

Behind Spider-Man is Peter Parker, and behind Peter Parker is some real and interesting science, in the guise of the Decay Rate Algorithm.? We may not be able to cling to walls, or transform into giant lizards, but our ability to use our intelligence to understand the world around us is our true superpower!

More reality checks on superhero stories:

James Kakalios is the Taylor Distinguished Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota, and the author of "The Physics of Superheroes" (2nd edition, Gotham, 2009) and "The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics" (Gotham, 2010).

? 2012 MSNBC Interactive.? Reprints

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48171078/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Gutsy (TIME)

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Brock Lesnar to reveal answer to Triple H's SummerSlam challenge on Raw's 1,000th episode

All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. ? 2012 WWE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This website is based in the United States. By submitting personal information to this website you consent to your information being maintained in the U.S., subject to applicable U.S. laws. U.S. law may be different than the law of your home country. WrestleMania XXIX (NY/NJ) logo TM & ? 2012 WWE. All Rights Reserved. The Empire State Building design is a registered trademark and used with permission by ESBC.

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HBO treats 'Newsroom,' 'True Blood' to new seasons

NEW YORK (AP) ? HBO says it's bringing back "The Newsroom" and "True Blood" for another season each.

HBO announced Monday that "True Blood," the network's hit vampire drama, will be coming back for a sixth season next year. Its stars include Anna Paquin (PA'-kwihn) and Stephen Moyer.

"The Newsroom," created and written by Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin, won a green light for a second season after just two episodes have aired. Though getting mixed reviews from critics, the show attracted a healthy audience for its premiere, totaling 2.1 million viewers.

Set at a cable news network, "The Newsroom" features Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Alison Pill and Sam Waterston.

Associated Press

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Antonio Villaraigosa, Lu Parker Split (PHOTOS)

It's over between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and KTLA reporter Lu Parker.

A press rep for Parker confirmed to the Los Angeles Times Monday that their three-year relationship had come to an end May 25.

When asked about the relationship, Villaraigosa spokesman Peter Sanders had no comment.

News of the breakup comes on the heels of a candid comment Villaraigosa made to students at Loyola Marymount University last Thursday. When asked about his biggest regret during his two-term administration as LA Mayor, Villaraigosa brought up his failed marriage with Corina Villaraigosa, the mother of two of his four children, reports KPCC.

"The way I handled my breakup, obviously," said Villaraigosa. "It?s the one thing I regret the most ? the way I handled it."

Corina Villaraigosa filed for divorce in June 2007 after 20 years of marriage, in the middle of Villaraigosa's first term as mayor. One month later, Mayor Villaraigosa admitted to having an affair with Telemundo anchor Mirthala Salinas; at the time, the pair had reportedly been seeing each other for at least 18 months, the Times estimated.

Villaraigosa ended things with Salinas shortly after Corina filed for divorce.

In a disciplinary act for failing to disclose her conflict of interest, Telemundo suspended Salinas for two months and then reassigned her to Telemundo's Riverside County bureau. She resigned soon afterward.

Villariagosa and Parker started dating in March 2009. Parker was frequently seen at red carpet events with the Mayor throughout their relationship.

Parker could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.

Scenes from Villaraigosa and Parker's three-year relationship.

• April 2012

  Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lu Parker attend the official launch party of BritWeek at a private residence in Hancock Park 2012 on April 24, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

• March 2012

  Lu Parker and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attend the one-night reading of "8" presented by The American Foundation For Equal Rights & Broadway Impact at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 3, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for American Foundation for Equal Rights)

• February 2012

  Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa and Lu Parker arrive at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at Sunset Tower on February 26, 2012 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

• February 2012

  Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa and Lu Parker arrive at The Hollywood Reporter's Nominees' Night 2012 A Celebration of the 84th Annual Academy Awards at the Getty House on February 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images)

• October 2011

  LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and girlfriend Lu Parker arrive at The Clinton Foundation Gala in Honor of "A Decade of Difference", at The Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, Calif. on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Kristian Dowling)

• March 2010

  Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lu Parker arrive at the 82nd Academy Awards Sunday, March 7, 2010, in Hollywood. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

• January 2010

  Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lu Parker arrive at the annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala presented by The Recording Academy and Clive Davis on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly, Hills, California. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/antonio-villaraigosa-lu-parker-split_n_1644861.html

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Houston tribute, obscenities highlight BET Awards

Mariah Carey speaks during the in memoriam to Whitney Houston at the BET Awards on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Mariah Carey speaks during the in memoriam to Whitney Houston at the BET Awards on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Cissy Houston pauses as she performs during the in memoriam to her daughter Whitney Houston at the BET Awards on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Brandy performs during the in memoriam for Whitney Houston at the BET Awards on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Chaka Khan performs during the in memoriam for Whitney Houston at the BET Awards on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Monica performs during the in memoriam for Whitney Houston at the BET Awards on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

With all the star power at the BET Awards ? Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce and Samuel L. Jackson, to name a few ? the most stirring moment came not from a superstar, but from the mother of one.

Whitney Houston's mother, Cissy, provided the emotional highlight of Sunday's ceremony as she sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in tribute to her late daughter, leaving audience members like Beyonce and Soulja Boy in tears.

Mariah Carey opened the tribute, and her voice wavered as she told stories about Houston. She recalled the last time she saw Houston last year, and how the two laughed and gossiped together.

"I miss my friend," Carey said. "I miss hearing her voice and laughter."

R&B singer Monica was vocally top-notch as she sang "I Love the Lord," a gospel song once sang by Houston; Brandy sang two upbeat Houston hits, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "I'm Your Baby Tonight." Chaka Khan blazed the stage with "I'm Every Woman," which Houston remade. Gary Houston, Whitney's brother, also performed; and Houston's "Waiting to Exhale" castmates ? Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon and Loretta Devine ? also honored the singer.

But it was Cissy Houston's soaring performance that brought the audience to their feet, and had many dabbing their eyes. The tribute came five months after Houston's death: She died the night before the Grammy Awards of an accidental drowning complicated by heart disease and cocaine use.

As compelling as that moment was, the show was also defined by its low points: Entire segments of performances, from Nicki Minaj to Rick Ross, were muted out due to foul language and obscenities, though several vulgarities were heard on air.

It started during the opening number by West's G.O.O.D. music group, which included Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz. There were long moments of censored silence when the rappers performed "Mercy," though not all the offending words were bleeped out. Moments later, Jackson, the show's host, was joined by Spike Lee as they did a comedic version of Jay-Z and West's hit song "... In Paris," to laughs.

"Two distinguished Morehouse men," Lee joked after the performance, referencing the alma mater of the two.

The censor police also worked overtime when Rick Ross performed with his Maybach Music Group and during Minaj's performance and acceptance speech for best female hip-hop artist. Minaj's win was her third consecutive time taking the prize.

"I really, really appreciate BET for keeping this category alive, and I appreciate all the female rappers doing their thing, past, present and future," she said, before uttering an obscenity.

Best gospel winner Yolanda Adams, who also performed, gently took some of her peers to task, urging them to act mature and use their fame wisely.

"We need all of y'all," she said onstage. "I'm saying the world needs everyone in this room. Please make sure that you use your gift responsibly, 'cause we're watching. Our babies are watching, and they want to be like us."

West, the most nominated act of the night with seven, and Jay-Z won the ceremony's top prize, earning video of the year for "Otis." They also won best group.

Beyonce was the second most nominated act with six. She won video director of the year (along with Alan Ferguson) and best female R&B artist and thanked the genre and her female influences.

"I fell in love with music by listening to R&B. It's the core of who I am," she said, giving special thanks to Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and "Whitney Houston, my angel."

When she lost video of the year to Jay-Z and West, she playfully hit her husband and laughed. The joking continued: Moments later, as West was giving his acceptance speech, Jay-Z interrupted him and said: "Excuse me Kanye, I'm gonna let you continue, but ...," and the audience erupted with laughter, recalling West's infamous interruption of Taylor Swift's MTV Video Music Awards speech a few years back.

Chris Brown was also a double winner, picking up his second consecutive win for best male R&B artist, and the "Fandemonium" award for a third time.

Brown also performed in his first televised appearance since the New York City nightclub brawl between his entourage and Drake's. Brown, his girlfriend, his bodyguard and NBA star Tony Parker were among those injured in the June 14 encounter, where bottles were thrown.

Drake didn't show, though he was named best male hip-hop artist.

The tone of night fluctuated frequently, as the show shifted from hotly anticipated performances to solemn moments to irreverence. Usher performed his groove "Climax," and Minaj sported a blond wig with pink tips as she performed the songs "Champion" and "Beez in the Trap," which featured 2 Chainz.

D'Angelo returned to the television spotlight with his first performance in years as he attempts a comeback.

The night also featured some tributes to deceased greats: Chante Moore performed a medley of Donna Summer's hits and Valerie Simpson sang a song in honor of her husband and writing partner Nick Ashford. Don Cornelius, Dick Clark and Hal Jackson were remembered. Even West offered tributes: after his performance, he name-dropped Rodney King and Whitney Houston in a verse that got cheers from the crowd, including his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian.

Presenters included Taraji P. Henson, Tyler Perry, Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx, who wore a T-shirt that had a picture of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen killed by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman.

Frankie Beverly featuring Maze were honored with the lifetime achievement award, and they were serenaded with performances by Tyrese, Faith Evans and Joe. The Rev. Al Sharpton received the humanitarian award, and urged the crowd to vote this November.

"This election is not just about Obama, this is about your momma," he said.

___

Online:

http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards/2012.html

___

Follow Mesfin Fekadu on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/musicmesfin

Associated Press

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