Monday, October 31, 2011

93% Take Shelter

All Critics (100) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (93) | Rotten (7)

There's a strong, unsettling sense of disease that runs through Take Shelter, the best drama of the year so far.

Shannon is astounding, playing a good man pushed to the brink of sanity, maybe beyond. He portrays a sense of quiet desperation -- a feeling recognizable to many.

A work of hushed and persuasive emotional veracity.

The movies have long been mad about the onset of madness.

The chilling genius of "Take Shelter'' isn't that the threat is never specified but that it doesn't need to be.

A movie for this moment in time, this moment in our lives.

On rare occasions, a movie comes along that does genuine honor to Alfred Hitchcock. Take Shelter is such a movie. It could be subtitled "Take Shelter with Hitch."

(Director) Nichols creates the kind of quiet malevolence that Roman Polanski used to excel at.

Take Shelter is a deeply unsettling movie.

Michael Shannon's spectacular performance grounds Take Shelter with a haunting realism.

Are his dreams a sign of things to come or are they simply the creation of an individual who is teetering on the brink of insanity?

In an era of empty entertainments, "Take Shelter" is built to last.

Life is a double-edged sword. Be careful how you hold it.

Powerfully emotional and extremely tense, this is an impressively directed and superbly written drama with a riveting central performance from Michael Shannon.

Take Shelter is paced slowly and deliberately, which is necessary to make believable whatever is tormenting Curtis.

Those who've never understood [anxiety] could do to see Take Shelter as a total immersion virtual reality experience.

With that frowning face - including a right eye that looks sleepy and a left one that looks crazed - Michael Shannon could play Jekyll and Hyde at the same exact time.

Michael Shannon gives his best onscreen performance ever... and creates what might well be the finest male character of 2011.

While Take Shelter is a marvellously composed film, it is also one that holds you at a distance

Out of his 'Tree of Life'

It's creepy and enigmatic, but there's an odd sense of enlightenment as well, making the effort valuable, even if Nichols gets lost in his own material at times.

An engrossing, quietly unnerving film that's one of the year's best...with an astonishing performance by Michael Shannon.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/take_shelter/

jason aldean new york time amish sonic the hedgehog imagine imagine watch movies online for free

Michael Merrifield: Emily Sirota Offers True Reform for DPS (Huffington post)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/155929287?client_source=feed&format=rss

michelle obama lvs oxycodone copd hon equifax typing games

New graduates find legal jobs not so plentiful anymore | Brian ...

The District seems like the promised land for wannabe lawyers.

With an unparalleled slate of jobs in the city, a law degree used to be a golden ticket to a six-figure salary and ample job security in the nation's corridor of political power.

No more.

Despite living in arguably the best market for lawyers -- in an area where the federal government insulates workers from widespread economic calamity -- many these days are wrestling with unfulfilled

expectations.

"For many years, people were able to go to law school and feel reasonably confident they were going to get a job when they left," said Matthew Fraidin, co-director of the District's HIV/AIDS Legal Clinic. "Now more and more have to make employment choices they aren't comfortable with."

Before the start of the new school year, that frustration reached a fever pitch when law school graduates unable to find work filed a class-action suit against their schools. The students accused the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan and New York Law School of "ongoing fraud that is ubiquitous in the legal education industry and threatens to leave a generation of law students in dire financial straits" -- they wanted their tuition money back.

Here in the District, the situation is not as dire, but many are settling for jobs that fall short of the glamorous gigs they envisioned while piling up thousands of dollars in student loans.

"You're so much more expendable here," said lawyer Michelle Thomas, who has practiced in the District for six years. "It's much harder to maintain that job with a big firm because there's a whole arena of contract lawyers."

Instead, more area residents with law degrees are taking part-time jobs, positions reviewing documents or leaving the industry altogether, she said. - Brian Hughes

Source: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/10/new-graduates-find-legal-jobs-not-so-plentiful-anymore

st.louis cardinals st.louis cardinals drag me to hell alot alot are you afraid of the dark are you afraid of the dark

Justin Timberlake's 'In Time' & 10 Other Extremely Confusing Movie Premises

Originally, Justin Timberlake's new sci-fi action flick was called "Now." Apparently, though, that title didn't effectively communicate what the movie was all about, which isn't exactly surprising because what the movie, now called "In Time," is all about is kinda high-concept and confusing.


Go with us (and JT) for a second. In this cinematic future, overpopulation [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/10/28/justin-timberlakes-in-time/

roddy white vincent jackson green river killer bohemian grove amazing race michael oher showtime

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Kabul suicide bomb kills 13 troops, civilians workers (Reuters)

KABUL (Reuters) ? A suicide car bomber on Saturday killed 13 troops and civilian employees of the NATO-led force in Kabul, including Americans and a Canadian, in the deadliest single ground attack against the coalition in 10 years of war in Afghanistan.

"Five International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) service members and eight ISAF civilian employees died following a suicide vehicle-born improvised explosive device attack in Kabul earlier today," ISAF said in a statement.

A Canadian military spokesman said one of the dead was a Canadian soldier. The Pentagon said earlier all 13 of the ISAF fatalities were American. But after the Canadian death was reported, a Pentagon spokesman said Americans were among the dead but that authorities were checking the identities of those killed.

Three other civilians and a police officer were also killed in the attack on a convoy of military vehicles, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry said.

Lethal attacks are relatively rare in the heavily guarded capital, Kabul, compared with the south and east of Afghanistan, but Saturday's killings came less than two months after insurgents launched a 20-hour assault on the U.S. Embassy in the capital.

The assault on the ISAF convoy took place late in the morning in the Darulaman area in the west of the city, near the national museum.

The former royal palace, now in ruins, is also in the area, along with several government departments and Afghan and foreign military bases.

The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it packed a four-wheel-drive vehicle with 700 kg (1,500 pounds) of explosives.

SECURITY HANDOVER

The attack is likely to heighten worries about the reach of insurgent forces as the United States and its allies prepare to hand over responsibility for security to Afghan forces by 2014.

"We are confident we can undertake the transition," NATO's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, Simon Gass, said at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday before the attack. "If we compare the security situation to how it was two years ago, we can see very dramatic improvements in many areas."

In two other attacks on Saturday, three Australians and an Afghan linguist were killed in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan when an attacker wearing an Afghan National Army uniform opened fire on them, authorities in neighboring Kandahar province said.

In Kunar province, east of Kabul, a teenage female suicide bomber killed herself and wounded several National Directorate of Security members in an attack on the NDS building.

ISAF commander General John Allen condemned the attacks in a statement later on Saturday, as did the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

"Our common enemy continues to employ suicide attackers to kill innocent Afghan fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, as well as the Coalition forces who have volunteered to protect them," Allen said in a statement.

A spokesman for U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the Pentagon chief was determined the United States would continue its "aggressive pursuit of the enemy."

Violence across Afghanistan is at its worst since the start of the war 10 years ago, according to the United Nations, despite the presence of more than 130,000 foreign troops.

ISAF says there has recently been a fall in attacks by insurgents, but that data exclude attacks that kill only civilians and attacks on Afghan security forces operating without international troops.

On Thursday, insurgents armed with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades attacked two bases used by foreign troops in southern Afghanistan. An Afghan interpreter working for ISAF was killed in that attack, which stretched into Friday before the last of the four insurgents were killed.

There has been a series of high-profile assassinations, as well as day-to-day attacks by Taliban raiders, over the past year.

More than a dozen people were killed in the September attack on the U.S. Embassy and ISAF headquarters.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney; Writing and additional reporting by Daniel Magnowski in Kabul, Susan Cornwell in Washington and Janet Guttsman in Toronto; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111029/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_attack

zip code finder zip code finder blackhawks tigers tigers rangers nlcs

Panasonic to post $3.9 billion net loss in FY 2011/12: Nikkei (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Japanese electronics maker Panasonic Corp is set to post a group net loss of 300 billion yen ($3.95 billion) in the year to March 2012, hurt by a global slowdown and the yen's strength, the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday.

The loss would fall far short of the company's current forecast of a profit of 30 billion yen and the previous year's profit of 74 billion yen, the Nikkei said. Ballooning costs from restructuring its television and semiconductor operations are also weighing on the company.

Panasonic reports its July-September earnings on Monday. The consensus analysts' forecast is for an operating profit of 50 billion yen for the quarter and a full-year profit of 225 billion yen, the latter falling short of the company's predicted 270 billion yen.

The Nikkei said full-year operating profit will likely come in below 200 billion yen, citing as other negative factors a sales slump for audio and video equipment in Europe and the United States and suspension of several factory operations in Thailand due to floods.

Panasonic President Fumio Ohtsubo is set to give a briefing on the company's growth strategy at 0800 GMT Monday, at which he is expected to announce details of a broad restructuring aimed at cutting costs and stripping out overlapping businesses following the buyout of subsidiary Sanyo.

(Reporting by Rie Ishiguro; Editing by Paul Tait)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111030/tc_nm/us_panasonic_earnings

st. croix threadworm nick swisher pirates of silicon valley htc flyer tablet htc flyer tablet hank williams

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Greece vows to build on EU deal, people skeptical (Reuters)

ATHENS (Reuters) ? Greece vowed on Thursday to press ahead with economic reforms to capitalize on an EU deal to slash the country's debt, despite widespread anger among citizens at the prospect of years of painful belt-tightening demanded by foreign lenders.

In a bid to calm fears among Greece's 11 million people, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos promised there would not be further cuts to wages and pensions as a result of the agreement sealed in Brussels to halve the 200 billion euros of Greek debt in the hands of private bondholders.

"We need to push ahead with structural reforms," Venizelos told a news conference, appealing for unity. "We must not lose this chance. It's too big."

The minister said that negotiations now needed to take place with banks to determine their participation in the bond swap to slash Greece's debt mountain, forecast to top 160 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year.

The head of Greece's public debt agency, Petros Christodoulou, said the talks would last two to three weeks. One possibility, he said, was for bondholders to receive 30 percent of their remaining investment in cash, and the remainder in bonds.

Prime Minister George Papandreou said the EU deal would help ease the burden on Greece's middle class and turn the page for the country, racked by its worst recession in four decades.

"We must continue to work intensively to change everything that offends us," Papandreou said in a televised address to the nation. "The crisis gives us the opportunity and the deal gives us the time to decide what is important for Greece."

But on the streets of Athens, Greeks tired of record unemployment and falling wages poured scorn on the EU bailout, saying that it heralded a long period of more austerity.

"What rescue? Europe has betrayed us. Can't they see we've nothing left to give?" said 85-year old George Kapsokalyvas, a public sector pensioner. "Only God can save us."

NOTHING TO CELEBRATE

Papandreou's Socialist party was reduced to just 153 members in the 300-seat parliament last week after expelling an MP who voted against labor reforms, raising expectations that further belt-tightening could trigger snap elections.

"The truth is that it doesn't matter what Papandreou tells us, many people don't trust him any more," said Costas Panagopoulos, head of ALCO pollsters. "If the government is forced to bring more measures in the coming months, then they will be forced into elections."

Papandreou acknowledged the deal might force Greece to temporarily nationalize some of its banks because of the writedown on their bond holdings. The chairman of Greece's sixth largest lender ATEbank, Theodoros Pantalakis, estimated Greek banks would need some 27 billion euros in fresh capital.

Without the reduction in its debt and the 130 billion euros in fresh EU/IMF funding under the Brussels agreement, Greece risked becoming the first euro zone country to go bankrupt -- sending shockwaves around global markets which threatened to swamp larger euro zone neighbors, such as Italy.

After the last-minute suspension of talks with inspectors from the EU/IMF troika in August sowed panic in financial markets, Venizelos said they would henceforth maintain a continuous presence in Greece to allow faster decision making.

The leader of the main conservative opposition party New Democracy, who has consistently refused to back Papandreou's efforts to tackle the crisis, condemned the government for relinquishing control over policy to international lenders.

"Our priority should be reestablishing economic growth...to regain our national sovereignty," said Antonis Samaras. "We have absolutely no right and no reason to give it up to anyone."

Samaras said there was nothing to celebrate in the agreement, which would reduce Greece's debt to 120 percent of GDP by 2020 -- the same level it stood at in 2009.

Ordinary Greeks also voiced resentment at the power wielded by the troika, which is demanding liberalization of Greece's highly regulated economy in return for the funds needed to stave off default.

"If these inspectors come here permanently, it will be an occupation without weapons," said Panagiotis Papadopoulos, 46, a worker at the state power corporation. "This government has succumbed."

(Additional reporting by Dina Kyriakidou, Lefteris Papadimas and Ingrid Melander in Athens and Harry Papachristou in Brussels; Writing by Daniel Flynn)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111027/bs_nm/us_greece

breaking dawn trailer chely wright chely wright paul williams flight search jackie kennedy ringer

Occupy Wall St. Sanctioned for Public Masturbation (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/154946553?client_source=feed&format=rss

john kennedy jr machine gun preacher machine gun preacher austin city limits breaking dawn trailer breaking dawn trailer chely wright

Earth-observing satellite boosted into orbit (AP)

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. ? After a years-long delay, an Earth-observing satellite blasted into space early Friday on a dual mission to improve weather forecasts and monitor climate change.

A Delta 2 rocket carrying the NASA satellite lifted off shortly before 3 a.m. from the central California coast. The satellite was boosted into an orbit 500 miles above Earth about an hour after launch.

NASA invited a small group of Twitter followers to watch the pre-dawn launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The satellite joins a fleet already circling the planet, collecting information about the atmosphere, oceans and land. The latest ? about the size of a small SUV ? is more advanced. It carries four new instruments capable of making more precise observations.

Tim Dunn, a launch director for NASA, said in streaming commentary on the agency's website that the flight "went terrific" and there "is a lot of celebration in the control room right now."

Dunn said the weather was nearly perfect for the launch. The skies were clear and winds minimal.

Meteorologists will use the data to improve their forecasts of hurricanes and other extreme weather while climate researchers hope to gain a better understanding of long-term climate shifts.

Many satellites currently in orbit are aging and will need to be replaced. The newest satellite is intended to be a bridge between the current fleet and a new generation that NASA is developing for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The $1.5 billion mission's path to the launch pad has been rocky. It was originally scheduled to fly in 2006, but problems during development of several instruments led to a delay.

Engineers will spend some time checking out the satellite's instruments before science operations begin. Built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colo., the satellite is expected to orbit the Earth for five years.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_on_sc/us_sci_earth_satellite

glee project winner building 7 parenthood dadt dadt orcl william shatner

Video: Newmont CEO: Gold's Rush

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

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45081049#45081049

ron paul 2012 mitt romney newt gingrich columbus dispatch social security increase menagerie ows

Friday, October 28, 2011

Longevity's secrets sought in DNA of 100-year-olds

In this Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 photo, Marie Eberhardt helps her husband George Eberhardt, 107, of Chester, NJ. after they both got their annual flu shot in Mendham, N.J. George Eberhardt turned 107 in September 2011, and scientists would love to know how he and other older folks like him make it that far. So he's going to hand over some of his DNA. He is taking part in one of two projects announced in October 2011 that will examine some of the oldest citizens with one of the newest scientific tools: whole-genome sequencing, the deciphering of a person's complete collection of DNA. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

In this Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 photo, Marie Eberhardt helps her husband George Eberhardt, 107, of Chester, NJ. after they both got their annual flu shot in Mendham, N.J. George Eberhardt turned 107 in September 2011, and scientists would love to know how he and other older folks like him make it that far. So he's going to hand over some of his DNA. He is taking part in one of two projects announced in October 2011 that will examine some of the oldest citizens with one of the newest scientific tools: whole-genome sequencing, the deciphering of a person's complete collection of DNA. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

This Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 photo shows George Eberhardt, 107, of Chester, NJ. after being given his annual flu shot in Mendham, N.J. Eberhardt turned 107 in September 2011, and scientists would love to know how he and other older folks like him make it that far. So he's going to hand over some of his DNA. He is taking part in one of two projects announced in October 2011 that will examine some of the oldest citizens with one of the newest scientific tools: whole-genome sequencing, the deciphering of a person's complete collection of DNA. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

NEW YORK (AP) ? George Eberhardt turned 107 last month, and scientists would love to know how he and other older folks like him made it that far. So he's going to hand over some of his DNA. He's one of 100 centenarians taking part in a project announced Wednesday that will examine some of the oldest citizens with one of the newest scientific tools: whole-genome sequencing, the deciphering of a person's complete collection of DNA.

Scientists think DNA from very old healthy people could offer clues to how they lived so long. And that could one day lead to medicines to help the rest of us stay disease-free longer.

By the time you reach, say, 105, "it's very hard to get there without some genetic advantages," says Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrics expert at Boston University.

Perls is helping find centenarians for the Archon Genomics X Prize competition. The X Prize Foundation, best known for a spaceflight competition, is offering $10 million in prize money to researchers who decipher the complete DNA code from 100 people older than 100. The contest will be judged on accuracy, completeness and the speed and cost of sequencing.

The contest is a relaunch of an older competition with a new focus on centenarians, and it's the second sequencing project involving the elderly to be announced this month.

Genome pioneer J. Craig Venter says the centenarian project is just a first step in revealing the genetic secrets of a long and healthy life.

"We need 10,000 genomes, not 100, to start to understand the link between genetics, disease and wellness," said Venter, who is co-chairing the X Prize contest.

The 107-year-old Eberhardt of Chester, N.J., played and taught tennis until he was 94. He said he's participating in the X Prize project because he's interested in science and technology. It's not clear his genes will reveal much. Nobody else in his extended family reached 100, and he thinks only a couple reached 90, he said in a telephone interview.

So why does he think he lived so long? He credits 70 years of marriage to his wife, Marie. She in turn cites his "intense interest in so many things" over a lifetime, from building radios as a child to pursuing a career in electronics research.

But scientists believe there's more to it, and they want to use genome sequencing to investigate. Dr. Richard Cawthon of the University of Utah, who is seeking longevity genes by other means, says it may turn up genetic features that protect against multiple diseases or that slow the process of aging in general.

Protective features of a centenarian's DNA can even overcome less-than-ideal lifestyles, says Dr. Nir Barzilai of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. His own study of how centenarians live found that "as a group, they haven't done the right things."

Many in the group he studied were obese or overweight. Many were smokers, and few exercised or followed a vegetarian diet. His oldest participant, who died this month just short of her 110th birthday, smoked for 95 years.

"She had genes that protected her against the environment," Barzilai said. One of her sisters died at 102, and one of her brothers is 105 and still manages a hedge fund.

Earlier this month, Scripps Health of San Diego announced a different genome project involving the elderly. The Scripps Wellderly Study will receive the complete genomes of 1,000 people age 80 and older from a sequencing company.

A complete genome reveals not only genes but also other DNA that's responsible for regulating genes. It's "the full monty," showing DNA elements that are key for illness and health, says Dr. Eric Topol, who heads the Wellderly Study.

Participants in that study have an average age of 87 and range up to 108, and they've never had diabetes, heart disease or cancer, or any neurological disease.

"Why are these people Teflon-coated?" Topol asked. "Why don't they get disease?"

The ability to turn out lots of complete genomes is "the new-new thing" in trying to find out, he said.

"There's been too much emphasis on disorders per se and not enough on the people who are exceptionally healthy," to learn from their genomes, Topol said. "Now we have the powerful tools to do that."

___

Online:

X Prize competition: http://genomics.xprize.org/

Wellderly Study: http://bit.ly/pHFHDj

___

Malcolm Ritter can be followed at http://twitter.com/MalcolmRitter

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-26-US-MED-Elderly-DNA/id-0819a250ddb54e7393115349c4ce330c

paula abdul redsox amazon prime spina bifida new kindle trill amazon tablet

Coldplay Cover Rihanna's 'We Found Love'

'I can't wait to hear it,' Rihanna tweets of version band performed on BBC Radio 1.
By Jocelyn Vena


Coldplay's Chris Martin and Rihanna
Photo: Getty Images

Coldplay's love affair with Rihanna continued this week when the band stopped by BBC Radio 1 on Thursday. The Brits put their moody spin on "We Found Love," the pop star's Calvin Harris-produced track.

Their version, which was performed on the radio station's Live Lounge series, mirrors the melancholy lyrics of the song, about wanting to be with someone despite knowing that it's all going to end anyway. Lead singer Chris Martin's haunting vocals and the band's acoustic rendition, using drums, piano and guitar, play up the sadness of the track.

The performance was a nearly flawless interpretation of the song, minus a hiccup at the very beginning. As an alarm sounded, Martin giggled a bit delivering the first few lines.

If you're wondering what Rihanna thinks of it, you're going to have to wait a little bit longer. In the midst of putting the finishing touches on her own album, she hadn't yet heard the Coldplay cover. "I can't wait to watch/hear it RT @Sean_Hansen: Not a big fan of cover songs but @coldplay's version of @rihanna's WFL is just superb!" she responded after a fan tweeted about the song.

Rihanna appears on Coldplay's just-released album, Mylo Xyloto, on the heartbreaking track "Princess of China."

"Her bit on our record is my favorite bit. ... When the song came out, it sort of asked for her to be on it. And I think at this point, we have nothing to lose, and so we've been trying some new things and trying to break down the perceived boundaries between different types of music," Martin explained to MTV News. "Because from where we're sitting, it seems like you can try and sound any way you like nowadays. You don't have to be in a rock box or a hip-hop box or a pop box, and I think it's fun when you embrace that idea."

"We Found Love" is the house-heavy lead single off Rihanna's Talk That Talk album, which drops November 21. Its video, directed by Melina Matsoukas, is in keeping with the album's tone, according to Matsoukas herself.

"I think it sets up definitely the imagery for the album and it's in line with what they're doing," she told MTV News shortly after the video dropped. "So that's good, and I'm sure there's plenty more, hopefully. I'm not sure, but [we'll see]. She called me after, and she loves it and I love it."

What do you think of Colplay's "We Found Love" cover? Tell us in the comments!

Related Videos Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673353/rihanna-coldplay-we-found-love.jhtml

itunes match gazelle gazelle pumpkin carving patterns pumpkin carving patterns lsu lizzie borden

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Shell, Exxon profits swell on higher crude price (Reuters)

LONDON/HOUSTON (Reuters) ? Oil giants Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) and Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) said their profits jumped more than 40 percent in the third quarter as higher energy prices offset declines in their output.

Oil prices have sagged from their May peaks, but still remain well above the 2010 levels. Recent optimism that the global economy may be recovering has sent crude prices climbing 20 percent this month.

Still, the world's two biggest publicly traded oil companies have struggled to stem a drop in their output, and record spending by Exxon of $26.7 billion for the first nine months of 2011 has not yet turned that trend around.

Exxon's oil and gas output fell 4 percent to 4.28 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, lagging Wall Street expectations. Shell's output slid 2 percent.

"Production was quite a bit lower than we were modeling," Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said Thursday of Exxon's output. "It's a recurring theme we've seen from peer companies."

The dip in crude oil prices during the third quarter helped both Exxon and Shell lift their profit margins at their refineries and chemicals businesses, particularly in the United States.

Shell posted a 25 percent profit increase over year-ago levels at its refineries and chemicals businesses, and Exxon saw its refineries' profits climb 36 percent.

Those gains, however, lagged the nearly 54 percent increase Exxon posted from its oil and gas producing arm and the 58 percent jump in Shell's earnings from that segment.

Exxon has projects in the works that promise growth. On a conference call with analysts, the company said drilling has shown that its big Hadrian prospect in the Gulf of Mexico is exceeding expectations. The company is also adding wells in the oil-rich Bakken shale in North Dakota.

RISING TIDE

Shell, Europe's largest oil company by market capitalization, said its underlying current cost of supply (CCS) net income, which excludes one-offs and non-cash accounting charges, soared 42 percent in the third quarter to $7.0 billion, while Exxon, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, reported a 41 percent increase to $10.3 billion.

Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N), the fourth-largest U.S. oil company said its third-quarter profit rose 49 percent while daily oil and gas production soared to a record.

Italy's Eni's (ENI.MI) production fell 13.6 percent due to the conflict in Libya, while underlying, or "adjusted" net profit, in dollar terms rose 19 percent.

Norway's Statoil (STL.OL) said its adjusted net income rose 50 percent to $2.07 billion in the third quarter and its production climbed 14 percent. Still, the company cautioned that its output would fall slightly this year.

Shell's London-listed "A" shares traded up 1.5 percent at 2,287 pence at 1142 GMT, compared with a 12.15 percent rise in the STOXX Europe 600 Oil and Gas index (.SXEP). Statoil shares rose 2.26 percent to 144.9 Norwegian crowns.

Exxon shares were up 0.3 percent at $81.34, while shares of Occidental Petroleum soared 9 percent to $95.13. Exxon's shares were underperforming a nearly 4 percent gain in the CBOE index of oil companies (.OIX). (Reporting by Tom Bergin in London, Anna Driver in Houston and Matt Daily in New York, editing by David Cowell, Dave Zimmerman and Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111027/bs_nm/us_exxonmobil

amanda knox latest news leann rimes brass monkey x factor auditions x factor auditions flds flds

There's Nothing Necessarily Wrong with "Flip-Flopping" (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Attacking your political opponent as a "flip-flopper" has been in vogue ever since George Bush hammered John Kerry with such accusations in the 2004 presidential election. These days the term has been in the news more than ever, with Michele Bachmann accusing Herman Cain of flip-flopping, and with the Obama re-election campaign insinuating that Mitt Romney is a flip-flopper. However, criticizing a politician for changing their mind is often not warranted. It can actually be the smartest thing to do.

Indeed, adjusting your opinion based on the best available evidence at the time not only makes sense, it's also a sign of serious analytical thinking. For example, President Obama was criticized as an indecisive flip-flopper when he visited Iraq in 2008. Before the trip, he announced that he wanted to go there to make a "thorough assessment" of the situation, and said "I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy." Obama should have received nothing but praise for wanting to make an informed decision, regardless of his ultimate conclusions about Iraq.

However, when an elected official changes their mind for pure political motives, then charges of flip-flopping can be appropriate. Mitt Romney, for instance, once expressed viewpoints far more liberal than his fellow Republicans. He opposed some tax cuts, supported abortion rights, and was a big proponent of universal health care. That was when he was governor of left-leaning Massachusetts. Now that he is running for president and trying to appeal to the entire GOP, he has backpedaled on almost all of his positions. You don't have to be a cynic to realize this is nothing but political opportunism by Romney.

Ideally, no one would think less of an elected official who changes their mind if they have good reason to do so. In fact, a politician who holds steadfast to an old belief when new evidence suggests they are wrong should be criticized more than a flip-flopping one. After all, what's the point of being consistent if you are consistently wrong? Let's hope the voting public stops paying attention to the "flip-flopper" label, and only starts caring about why a politician changes their mind.

Sources:

Joel Roberts, "Bush's Top Ten Flip-Flops," CBS News

Gabriella Schwarz , "Cain 'flip-flops,' Bachmann says," CNN

Holly Bailey, "Obama team targets Romney but stops short of labeling him the GOP 'frontrunner'," The Ticket

The Bryant Park Project , "Politicians: Flip-Flopping Or Changing Their Minds?" NPR

Matt Latimer, "Romney a Flip-Flop? Used to Be More Liberal Than Ted Kennedy," The Daily Beast

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111025/pl_ac/10281433_theres_nothing_necessarily_wrong_with_flipflopping

jacqueline kennedy jacqueline kennedy jackie o john kennedy jr john kennedy jr machine gun preacher machine gun preacher

Lindsay Lohan to pose for Playboy?

By Courtney Hazlett

Nothing says "serious actress" like posing for a spread in Playboy. Lindsay Lohan has, according to TMZ, signed on to do just that in exchange for a nearly $1 million payday. Her rep is neither confirming nor denying the reports, so at the moment, we live in a world where this is an actual possibility.

Matteo Bazzi / EPA file

There are a couple points to raise here. First, this whole agreement, should it become a reality, doesn't come as a total surprise. Lohan is not the most modest of celebs -- we've seen A LOT of her skin as it is. The forum is just different here. There's also the Marilyn Monroe emulation syndrome at play -- Lohan has repeatedly aligned herself with the icon (and former Playboy model, herself). Her company 6126is named for Monroe's birth date, and remember when Lohan recreated Monroe's last nude photo shoot for New York magazine?

So there are pieces that fit ... but it doesn't make it a good idea, Lindsay! People trying to get their lives and careers back on track generally find it helpful to keep their clothes on. But as we know, Lohan doesn't always adhere strictly to the rules.

Down to the wire: Bieber and Selena adopt a puppy, Lindsay Lohan to pose nude in Playboy, MTV airing 'True Life' episode on Occupying Wall St., car hits one million miles and thieves steal a two and a half ton bell.

Related content:

Source: http://scoop.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/25/8479419-lindsay-lohan-to-pose-for-playboy

bhutan zip code finder zip code finder blackhawks daylight savings time 2011 tigers tigers

China carmaker BYD sets North American HQ in LA

(AP) ? Chinese electric carmaker BYD Co. opened its North American headquarters on Monday, a move that officials said could bring hundreds of jobs and provide a U.S. hub for sales and research.

The opening will be "a catalyst that ushers in good jobs, global investment and a more sustainable future," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

Agreements were signed at the two-story building, which is surrounded by traditional car dealerships. Officials were driven to the ceremony in a BYD-built all-electric bus that the Hertz rental company is adding to its shuttle fleet at Los Angeles International Airport.

Hertz Corp. also is making the company's e6 ? a five-seat electric car with a 187-mile (300-kilometer) range ? available for rentals at the airport.

BYD, which is backed by billionaire Warren Buffett, makes electric and hybrid cars, charging systems, solar panels and LED lighting. BYD will import its electric cars and buses from overseas, concentrating on fleet sales but beginning consumer sales next year.

The headquarters could provide up to 150 engineering and management jobs, officials said. It also could generate hundreds of other jobs in related industries, such as car repair and solar panel installation, Villaraigosa said.

The company is a good fit for a city that is innovative, wants to develop a green technology sector and already has China as its largest trading partner ? $190 billion worth last year, Villaraigosa said.

The company already has various deals with Los Angeles to test its cars and charging systems.

Global automakers and ambitious startups are racing to develop all-electric and hybrid cars as governments offer tax breaks and subsidies to promote alternative energy in hopes of reducing surging demand for oil.

Nissan Motor Corp.'s Leaf became the first all-electric model on the U.S. market in December. It competes with General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt, which uses an electric battery and a small gasoline motor for an additional charge.

BYD, which stands for "Build Your Dreams," is based in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen but it is half-owned by U.S. interests. Its profits plunged this year because of a drop in car sales and tighter profit margins caused by competition.

The Los Angeles headquarters will be the center for fleet sales of electric cars and buses. It also will house research and development facilities and will be the center of marketing, design, and sales support for its solar and LED businesses, according to BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu.

The headquarters will benefit from being close to the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, which together comprise the nation's largest port complex. In addition, under Los Angeles anti-smog incentives, there will be a tariff reduction on the imported electric cars.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-10-24-BYD-North%20America/id-c94a52e8553c4b52b15ffdf17671cc70

gurney gurney clemency us supreme court cameron todd willingham death row naacp

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Special Report: Singed by Solyndra (reuters)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/152596957?client_source=feed&format=rss

ford evos ford evos ides of march diane sawyer starship troopers starship troopers the skin i live in

Consumer confidence at lowest level in 2 1/2 years

Paul Sancya / AP

The news wasn't all bad, as more Americans said they planned to make a major purchase or take a vacation, even if they weren't now.

By Anne d'Innocenzio, Christopher S. Rugaber, Associated Press

NEW YORK ? Americans say they feel worse about the economy than they have since the depths of the Great Recession.

Consumer confidence fell in October to the lowest since March 2009, a research group said Tuesday ? an ominous sign for the economy as families begin to prepare their budgets for holiday shopping season.

The declining mood reflects the big hit that the stock market took in late summer ? down almost 20 percent in one month ? as well as frustration with an economic recovery that doesn't really feel like one.

The Conference Board, a private research group, said its index of consumer sentiment came in at 39.8, down about six points from September and seven shy of what economists were expecting.

The reading is still well above where the index stood two and a half years ago, at 26.9. But it's not even within shouting distance of 90, what it takes to signal that the economy is on solid footing.

Economists watch consumer confidence closely because consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity. The index measures how shoppers feel about business conditions, the job market and the next six months.

It had been recovering since hitting an all-time low of 25.3 in February 2009, but has taken a turn for the worse as Americans worry about stubbornly high unemployment, rising prices for food and clothes and an overall weak economy.

The index is based on a survey conducted Oct. 1-13 of about 500 randomly selected people nationwide.

It was three days after the survey got under way, on Oct. 4, that the stock market began a remarkable rally. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 12 percent in three weeks, from the Oct. 3 close through Monday's trading.

The Dow fell about 1 percent Tuesday, not just because of consumer confidence but because investors are worried about corporate earnings and about whether Europe can find a solution to its crippling debt problem.

The last time consumer confidence was this weak was also the turning point for the stock market in its severe downturn during the recession. It was in March 2009 that the Dow bottomed out at 6,547.

The survey found that a growing number of Americans are worried about making less money over the next six months. The proportion of people expecting a pay cut is about nine percentage points higher than those who expect a raise, the biggest gap since April 2009.

It also came exactly two months before Christmas, with retailers preparing for the holiday shopping season, their busiest.

"If people think their income is declining, they're not going to be inclined to spend," said Jacob Oubina, an economist at RBC Capital Markets.

Higher earners are also starting to lose confidence, a bad sign because they account for a disproportionate amount of spending. The confidence index for people making more than $50,000 has dropped for six months in a row.

"The upper income brackets have weathered the recession and recovery better than most citizens and declining confidence among this group is certainly unwelcome," Dan Greenhaus, an economist at BTIG, said in a note to clients.

Still, many economists cautioned that what consumers say and what they do can be two different things.

In September, for example, despite feeling bad about the economy, people increased their spending on retail goods by the most since March. More people bought new cars, a purchase people typically make when they are confident in their finances.

Christopher Rupkey, an economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, said in a note to his clients that he expects consumer confidence to "bounce back with stocks in next month's report."

And the survey found that people weren't as gloomy when it came to specific buying plans, several analysts pointed out.

The percentage of Americans who plan to buy a major appliance in the next six months, such as a television or washing machine, rose to 45.9 percent, up from 40.8 percent. Exactly half plan to take a vacation in the next six months, up from 46.9 percent.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/25/8479585-consumer-confidence-at-lowest-level-in-2-12-years

christmas island antonio gates antonio gates challah oxford comma oxford comma elisabetta canalis

Kids' ER visits for psychiatric care inching up (Reuters)

BOSTON (Reuters Health) ? Emergency room doctors are seeing more and more kids for mental health problems, and many of them are uninsured, researchers said at the annual conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Boston.

A study found that between 1999 and 2007, 279 million children went to U.S. emergency departments. Over that period, the proportion of visits caused by mental illness rose from 2.4 percent to three percent.

Underinsured children accounted for as many as 54 percent of the psychiatric emergencies in 2007, up from 46 percent in 1999, Dr. Zachary E. Pittsenbarger and his team concluded based on data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

"Often these patients have limited outpatient options for their continuity of care for psychiatric or mental health indications, and my belief is that that's why they're coming into the emergency department," Pittsenbarger, of Children's Hospital Boston, told Reuters Health.

This past June, another group of researchers from Pittsenbarger's hospital reported that when children and adolescents show up in urban emergency departments for psychiatric care, those with problems severe enough to require hospital admission often become "boarders" in the emergency room.

A third of the young patients in the study who needed to be hospitalized for psychiatric emergencies couldn't go promptly to a psychiatric unit. Instead, they had to wait - and half of them waited more than 21 hours. Some of them stayed in the emergency room, and others were moved to non-psychiatric wards in the hospital until a bed in a psychiatric unit became available, Dr. Elizabeth Wharff and her colleagues reported in the journal Pediatric Emergency Care.

Why do children end up coming to the emergency department for psychiatric help? "It is not because they feel that this is the best place for care, it's because they have no other options. They're at the end of their rope," Pittsenbarger said.

"I'd like to shine a light on the fact that these people are coming in with increasing frequency all the time," he added. "Hopefully we will be able to alert people to the fact that, for so many people in this country, the options for good mental health care just do not exist."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111024/hl_nm/us_kids_er

pujols broncos broncos pumpkin carving denver broncos texas tech football michigan state

UN condemns US embargo of Cuba _ again (Providence Journal)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/153220205?client_source=feed&format=rss

apple news apple iphone apple iphone chris christie cnet tampa bay rays netanyahu

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

NEW MUSIC: Official Watson ? ?My Cup?

Fresh off the heels of his Billboard and 106th & Park charting “She Hot” featuring Dorrough Music & DJ Bay Bay, Official Watson is back with yet another smash for the club scene. Below is the link for service pack. DJ’s give it a few spins. Listen & Download: “My Cup” Service Pack (Radio/Explicit/Acapella) – [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/new-music-official-watson-my-cup/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-music-official-watson-my-cup

toy abacus abacus spongebob bot foot locker cats

Sports News: Scharner nets Baggies winner

'); tm.siteLife.daapi.getArticle( "201-102039-23507421", function(article){ tm.siteLife.display.displayCommentCount( article, 'sitelife-commentsWidget-top', false, 'Comments', true, false ); } ); })();//call anonymous function //]]>

Paul Scharner's second-half goal earned West Brom their first away league win over 10-man Aston Villa for 32 years as they came back to record a 2-1 victory.

Villa went ahead through Darren Bent's penalty but the game turned Albion's way after midfielder Chris Herd was send off after 35 minutes for a challenge on Jonas Olsson inside his own box.

Chris Brunt missed the spot-kick but the Baggies cashed in on Villa's frailty at set pieces with Olsson equalising before half-time and Scharner netting the winner - both from Chris Brunt corners.

'; } for (var i = 0; i '; } else { s += ''; } } s += '' + "\r\n"; wrapperClass = null; document.write(s); return; } //]]> '); tm.siteLife.daapi.getArticle( "201-102039-23507421", function(article){ tm.siteLife.display.displayCommentCount( article, 'sitelife-commentsWidget-bottom', false, 'Comments', false ); } ); })(); var pluckLoginURL = "http://www.people.co.uk/registration/index.cfm?redirect=", pluckRegisterURL = "http://www.people.co.uk/registration/index.cfm?register=1&type=4&redirect="; //]]>

Source: http://www.people.co.uk/sport/sports-news/2011/10/22/scharner-nets-baggies-winner-102039-23507421/

the patriot taylor martinez taylor martinez o brother where art thou o brother where art thou oregon state football oregon state football

Monday, October 24, 2011

Giuliana Rancic back at E! following surgery

All those well wishes paid off.

Just days after undergoing a double lumpectomy, during which she also had some lymph nodes removed for biopsy, Giuliana Rancic is back in the house! She returned to work Monday morning and will resume her anchor duties on E! News Monday night.

"I'm so thrilled to get back to work and return to my E! family today," Giuliana told E! News. "I still have a long road ahead, but thanks to everyone's overwhelming love, support and prayers, it will be an easier journey."

She also had a special message for all the fans who offered up support.

  1. More Entertainment stories
    1. 'SNL' star Hammond used booze, crack to cope

      Comic actor opens up in new book about his struggles with drinking and drugs while a cast member on the show.

    2. 'Dancing' stars step out to support Bono
    3. 'Jurassic Park' has one of scariest scenes ever
    4. Were you charmed by 'Once Upon a Time'?
    5. Party on! The five best wild guys in film

MORE: Christina Applegate has offered support to her fellow breast cancer survivor

"The E! viewers have helped me to get through this and stay strong more than they will ever know and I will be eternally grateful to them for their love," she said.

The Fashion Police cohost went public with her breast cancer diagnosis on Oct. 17. She underwent the surgery late last week, and, according to husband Bill Rancic, was placed on bed rest while she recuperated.

So what's next for everyone's favorite entertainment maven?

Bill said that his missus is expected to start radiation in about a month, "after she heals and has her strength back."

MORE: Hollywood stars aligned to show their support for Giuliana

"She pulled through it and was kind of relieved to get it over with and get the cancer out and is doing well at home," Bill said.

"She's a fighter and will come back stronger and better than before."

Prior to her surgery, Giuliana told her E! News tag-team partner Ryan Seacrest the same thing, noting that "I feel like such a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

The vast and wide-ranging support she received from all corners of Hollywood (and beyond) no doubt helped in her recovery.

Her official return to the airwaves happens tonight on E! News at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Couldn't be happier to have you back, Giuliana!

PHOTOS: Get Giuliana's Look!

? 2011 E! Entertainment Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45021206/ns/today-entertainment/

charlie daniels band the thing carrie steve wozniak steve wozniak legarrette blount pharrell

Libya declared free, but Gadhafi death questioned

Libyan Transitional National Council military commander of Tripoli, Abdel Hakim Belhaj, left, shakes hands after his speech at Saha Kish Square in Benghazi, Libya, Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 as Libya's transitional government declare liberation of Libya after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Libyan Transitional National Council military commander of Tripoli, Abdel Hakim Belhaj, left, shakes hands after his speech at Saha Kish Square in Benghazi, Libya, Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 as Libya's transitional government declare liberation of Libya after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Wahab Al Ghazali of Libya, left, poses next to a poster of Moammar Gadhafi reading "End of Dictator, Libya is Free, Thanks to the Blood of its Martyrs" as they celebrate at Saha Kish Square in Benghazi, Libya, Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 as Libya's transitional government declared the liberation of Libya after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Libyan celebrate at Saha Kish Square in Benghazi, Libya, Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 as Libya's transitional government declares the official liberation of Libya after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Libyans celebrate at Saha Kish Square in Benghazi, Libya, Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 as Libya's transitional government declare liberation of Libya after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

A Libyan uses his cell phone to picture fireworks amid celebrations at Saha Kish Square in Benghazi, Libya, Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 as Libya's transitional government declared the liberation of Libya after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

(AP) ? Libya's interim rulers declared the country liberated on Sunday after an 8-month civil war, launching the oil-rich nation on what is meant to be a two-year transition to democracy. But they laid out plans with an Islamist tone that could rattle their Western backers.

The joyful ceremony formally marking the end of Moammar Gadhafi's 42-year tyranny was also clouded by mounting pressure from the leaders of the NATO campaign that helped secure victory to investigate whether Gadhafi, dragged wounded but alive out of a drainage ditch last week, was then executed by his captors.

The circumstances of Gadhafi's death remain unclear. In separate accounts late Sunday, two Libyan fighters said Gadhafi was hurt after being captured, but was able to stand. One said that when he and others placed Gadhafi in an ambulance, the former Libyan leader had not yet suffered what Libya's chief pathologist said was a fatal gunshot to the head.

Critics said the gruesome spectacle of his blood-streaked body laid out as a trophy for a third day of public viewing in a commercial freezer tests the new leadership's commitment to the rule of law.

Britain's defense secretary, Philip Hammond, said the Libyan revolutionaries' image had been "a little bit stained" by Gadhafi's violent death. Both he and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said a full investigation is necessary.

Gadhafi's capture and the fall of his hometown of Sirte, the last loyalist stronghold, set the stage for the long-awaited declaration of liberation, delivered by the head of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil.

He did not mention the circumstances surrounding Gadhafi's death ? mobile phone videos showed the wounded leader being taunted and beaten by a mob after his capture. But he urged his people to avoid hatred.

"You should only embrace honesty, patience, and mercy," Abdul-Jalil told a flag-waving crowd of several thousand at the declaration ceremony in the eastern city of Benghazi, the birthplace of the uprising against Gadhafi.

Abdul-Jalil laid out a vision for a new Libya with an Islamist tint, saying Islamic Sharia law would be the "basic source" of legislation, and that existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam would be nullified.

He outlined several changes to align with Islamic law, including putting caps on interest for bank loans and lifting restrictions on the number of wives Libyan men can take. The Muslim holy book, the Quran, allows men up to four wives.

Abdul-Jalil thanked those who fought and fell in the war, saying they "are somewhere better than here, with God." Displaying his own piety, he then stepped aside from the podium and knelt to offer a prayer of thanks.

Using Sharia as the main source of legislation is stipulated in the constitution of neighboring Egypt. Still, Egyptian laws remain largely secular as Sharia does not cover all aspects of modern life.

Libya's revolt erupted in February as part of anti-government protests spreading across the Middle East. Islamist groups stand to gain ground in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, which shook off their dictators several months ago. Tunisia has taken the biggest steps so far on the path to democracy, voting Sunday for a new assembly, while Egypt's parliamentary election is set for next month.

Libya's struggle has been the bloodiest so far in the region. Mass protests turned into a civil war that killed thousands and paralyzed the country. Gadhafi loyalists held out for two more months after the fall of the capital of Tripoli in late August. Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte fell last week, but Gadhafi's son and one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, apparently escaped with some of his supporters.

The anti-Gadhafi forces enjoyed strong Western political and military support during their revolt, especially from the U.S., Britain and France, and NATO airstrikes were key to their victory.

Abdul-Jalil paid tribute to the Gulf Cooperation Council, a six-nation alliance led by Saudi Arabia, the Arab League and the European Union. NATO performed its task with "efficiency and professionalism," he said.

President Barack Obama congratulated Libyans on the declaration.

"After four decades of brutal dictatorship and eight months of deadly conflict, the Libyan people can now celebrate their freedom and the beginning of a new era of promise," he said.

In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the declaration and said NATO's mission in Libya "is very close to completion," referring to the alliance's decision to end air patrols on Oct. 31.

In Libya, leaders have said a new interim government is to be formed within a month, following by elections for a constitutional assembly within eight months. Elections for a parliament and president would follow in the year after that.

Gadhafi's body remained on display Sunday in a produce locker in the port city of Misrata, which suffered from a weeks-long bloody siege by regime forces in the spring. People have lined up since Friday to view the body, which was laid out on a mattress on the freezer floor. The bodies of Gadhafi's son Muatassim and his ex-defense minister Abu Bakr Younis also were put on display, and people wearing surgical masks filed past, snapping photos of the bodies.

It remains unclear what happened between the time Gadhafi was captured alive in Sirte on Thursday and arrived dead in Misrata. Libyan leaders say he was killed in crossfire during battles for Sirte, but revolutionaries who were present for Gadhafi's capture ? and even one who was in the ambulance with him ? said nothing about additional fighting in interviews with The Associated Press.

Dr. Othman al-Zintani, Libya's chief forensic pathologist, said he performed an autopsy that confirmed that Gadhafi was killed by a gunshot to the head. That finding did not clear up the circumstances of his death, and al-Zintani said he could not elaborate until a full report has been sent to the attorney general.

Al-Zintani told the AP that Gadhafi's body was removed from the freezer and taken to a secret location for the autopsy. He said he also examined the body of Muatassim.

In new testimony late Sunday, two fighters said revolutionary forces encountered heavy resistance from Gadhafi loyalists near the drainage tunnel where Gadhafi and others were hiding.

Omar al-Shibani, commander of a group of fighters involved in the capture, said one of his men found the wounded Gadhafi in the tunnel, disarmed him, pulled him out and walked him to one of the fighters' vehicles.

Another fighter at the scene, Jibril Othman, said it was difficult for Gadhafi to stand. According to both accounts, the fighters put Gadhafi on the hood of the vehicle, and drove with him for some distance. Othman said a crowd gathered, and that he and others were beating Gadhafi.

Othman said that when Gadhafi was eventually placed in an ambulance, he had not yet suffered a shot to the head. Al-Shibani said Gadhafi had been shot in the abdomen and suffered a head injury, but that he "was fine up to that point."

The New York-based group Human Rights Watch, which viewed the bodies, said video footage, photos and other information it obtained indicate that Moammar and Muatassim Gadhafi "might have been executed after being detained."

"Finding out how they died matters," said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. "It will set the tone for whether the new Libya will be ruled by law or by summary violence."

Mahmoud Jibril, the acting Libyan prime minister, said he would not oppose an inquiry into Gadhafi's death, but added that there is "no reason" to doubt the credibility of an official report that he died in crossfire.

Addressing the celebrations around Gadhafi's body, Jibril told the BBC in an interview on Sunday: "You have to appreciate the agony that people went through for 42 years."

___

Associated Press writers Rami al-Shaheibi in Misrata, Libya and Slobodan Lekic in Brussels contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-23-ML-Libya/id-f13cdb1be5694f5f9deaecdda20aeee5

cameron todd willingham death row naacp cheryl cole x factor forgetting sarah marshall freetown freetown