Killer Kitties? Cats Kill Billions Of Creatures Every Year

Out For Lunch? Researchers estimate that billions of birds and small mammals are killed by cats in the U.S. annually.

Vishnevskiy Vasiliy/iStockphoto

The battle between cat lovers and bird lovers has been going on for a long time. Cats and birds just don't mix. But trying to get a handle on how many birds and other animals are being killed by cats isn't easy. Just figuring out how many cats there are is tough enough.

"Cats are really hard to count," says Pete Marra, an animal ecologist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. He and his colleagues actually got a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to try to estimate the number of animals being killed by people, including through the effects of human activities, buildings and pets. They looked at things like wind turbines, cars, pesticides and ? domestic cats.

Marra says Americans own about 84 million of them. "And of those, about 40 to 70 percent are allowed to go outside," Marra says. "And we estimate that about 50 to 80 percent of those are actually hunters."

That means as many as 47 million pet cats are out there killing prey. Marra says they also looked at cats he calls "un-owned" ? feral cats, barn cats and strays. Based on previous studies, he estimates there could be anywhere from 30 million to 80 million of those in the U.S., most of them out hunting.

The next challenge was to try to figure out how many birds and small animals all these cats were killing. They looked at all the available data, and when they finished crunching the numbers, Marra says, he was shocked by what they found.

Previous studies had suggested that cats kill about 500 million birds a year. Marra's group came up with something very different. "We estimate that cats kill somewhere between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds a year," Marra says. "For mammals, it's upward of about 15 billion."

Marra says based on those new figures, cat-caused mortality far exceeds deaths from other sources, like collisions with cars or wind turbines.

And even though the new numbers are much higher than anything calculated before, he thinks they're in the right ballpark. "We're pretty confident," Marra says. "We felt like we only used the best studies out there. We eliminated studies that had small sample sizes or were only conducted for short durations. And we eliminated studies that had really, really high estimates, or really, really low estimates. So we tried to be as conservative as possible."

Marra says most of the deaths are being caused by feral cats, but pet cats do play a role. According to his calculations, pet cats are responsible for about a tenth of the cat-related mammal deaths and close to a third of the bird deaths.

He says overall, the number of birds and small animals being killed are high enough that cats and their hunting could be causing some wildlife populations to decline in some areas. But he says it will take more work to figure out which species are being most affected. His study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/29/170588511/killer-kitties-cats-kill-billions-every-year?ft=1&f=1007

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Justice Department asks judge to require BP to produce documents showing how it low-balled oil flow

The Justice Department on Wednesday asked a federal judge in New Orleans to require BP to produce documents that outline how it low-balled the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from its Macondo well in 2010. The estimates were sent to the Coast Guard and Congress.

The request came just one day after BP's guilty plea to criminal charges related to the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion and fire that caused the release of millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf.

The BP guilty plea accepted by U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance on Tuesday included an admission that the company misled Congress and the Coast Guard in the weeks after the spill, saying that only 5,000 barrels of oil per day were flowing from the well, when its own internal estimates indicated that as much as 100,000 barrels per day could have been released.

The company made a similar admission in a separate civil plea agreement filed with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission in November, in which BP said it filed inaccurate statements with the commission that underestimated the flow of oil, thus misleading the commission and the company's investors.

Justice Department attorneys want to use the documents during an upcoming civil trial before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier to prove that BP was "grossly negligent" in its actions to staunch the flow of oil. Proving that claim could mean the company would have to pay billions of dollars more in fines under the Clean Water Act.

The first phase of the civil trial, which will focus on how the Macondo well blowout occurred, is due to begin Feb. 25. A second phase, which will be scheduled when the first phase is completed, will focus on the response to the blowout and spill, including how much oil was released during the blowout.

Under the Clean Water Act, BP and other parties found responsible for the spill could be fined $1,100 per barrel for oil released during the spill. However, if BP were to be found grossly negligent, the company would face penalties of up to $4,300 per barrel.

"Thus, for each additional 5,000 barrels discharged per day, the company could face an additional $21.5 million in penalties, every day of the spill," the federal government attorneys say in a footnote to their memorandum in support of their motion to order BP to produce the documents.

Only minutes after Justice lawyers filed the memorandum, they asked that it be sealed. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune obtained a copy of the memorandum and redacted documents before the motion to seal was filed.

In its motion, the Justice Department asked for previously withheld documents related to the preparation of BP statements to Congress on May 4, 2010; BP correspondence with Congress on May 24 and June 25, 2010; a May 19, 2010, email from BP executive Doug Suttles to Coast Guard Adm. Mary Landry; and documents provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, April 30 and May 4, 2010.

The flow-rate documents that the Justice attorneys are seeking have been withheld from use in the civil case until now because they are considered "work product" of the attorney-client privilege.

But because it was found guilty of the criminal charges, Justice Department attorneys argue, "BP's use of attorneys to aid in its wrongdoing destroys any privilege for communications related to the criminal or fraudulent activity."

"As the Supreme Court has explained, a 'client who consults an attorney for advice that will serve him in the commission of a fraud will have no help from the law. He must let the truth be told,'" the government attorneys wrote.

In support of its motion, the government appended portions of a June 2011 deposition of former BP vice president for exploration David Rainey, who has been separately charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly providing Congress with the low-ball estimates. Rainey testified that he prepared several internal memoranda providing more accurate estimates in April and May 2010 that were reviewed by Doug Suttles, who was then chief of BP's exploration and production activities and who oversaw the company's oil spill response. Suttles retired at age 50 in January 2011 after 22 years with the company.

During the deposition, Rainey said he prepared the memos at the request of BP's counsel, who reviewed the drafts.

The names of the BP counsel are not in the government documents, some of which have blacked-out passages. But according to the BP plea agreement, the company's counsel also requested Rainey to prepare a memo submitted to the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment in May after U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., questioned the company's earlier assertion before the committee that only 5,000 barrels of oil a day were flowing from the well.

That memo "falsely stated that BP's worst case discharge estimate was raised from 60,000 (barrels of oil per day) to 100,000 BOPD after subsequent 'pressure data was obtained from the BOP stack'" -- a reference to the blowout preventer equipment stack atop the well -- BP admitted in the factual basis accompanying its guilty plea. Instead, the factual basis said, Rainey knew the 100,000-barrel estimate wasn't the result of the pressure data, but instead had been prepared as a worst-case estimate as early as April 21, a day after the blowout.

Rainey's memo also was submitted to Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry, who was the federal on-scene coordinator immediately after the accident, in response to a May 17 letter from Landry to Suttles. In the letter, Landry asked for information on how much oil was being released to "help us continue to hone our efforts to respond most effectively to the spill and to mitigate the ongoing threat to our environment and coastal communities."

The attorneys also included a portion of a deposition by retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who served as national incident commander during the spill, concerning his need for information about the flow rate.

"Flow rate became important in terms of trying to size the equipment needed for the surface response in terms of skimming equipment, boom, in situ burning equipment and that sort of thing," Allen testified. "And, therefore, sooner or later, you had to reconcile supply and demand with the amount of oil that was out there versus the equipment that would be needed to deal with it. In that portion of the response, flow rate is consequential."

The rate of oil flow also was important in relation to the pressure in the well, the procedures being used to cap and contain the flow of oil from the well, "and the potential integrity of the wellbore itself," Allen said.

Source: http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/01/justice_asks_federal_judge_to.html

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Male dancers signal their strength to men and women

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Heterosexual men pick up clues about other men's physical qualities from their dance moves just as heterosexual women do, say researchers at Northumbria University.

A study, led by psychologist Dr Nick Neave and researcher Kristofor McCarty, used 3D motion-capture technology and biomechanical analyses to examine the extent to which male dancing provides clues about the dancer's physical strength and fitness to both male and female observers.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Biology, suggest that male observers pick up on the strength of their potential rivals for female mates.

Researchers at Northumbria's School of Life Sciences filmed 30 males, aged 19-37, as they danced to a basic drum rhythm. Participants also completed a fitness test and assessments of upper and lower body strength. The dance clips were converted into virtual humanoid characters (avatars) and rated by women and men on perceived dance and physical qualities. The ratings were then correlated with various biomechanical indices.

The results showed that both sexes found significant positive associations between an individual's hand grip strength and their perceived dance quality, these qualities were picked up by the size and vigour of the movements of the upper body and arms.

Although it is traditionally thought that signals given off by men when they dance have been designed -- like animal mating displays -- to be interpreted as clues of their physical attributes to the opposite sex, it seems that heterosexual men are also making use of these signals, presumably to detect a potential love rival.

Dr Nick Neave believes that this increased sensitivity to male qualities by other heterosexual men may be due to intrasexual rivalry -- men sizing up the strength and virility of their competition.

He said: "Rated dance quality was positively associated with actual grip strength and these clues of upper-body strength were most accurately picked up by male observers. This ability to discern upper-body strength is principally because men are looking for cues of 'formidability' in other males.

"Upper-body strength is highly related to fighting ability as it reflects the ability to do damage, especially in intra-sexual conflicts. The ability to gauge strength before potential conflicts is sensible, especially to other males."

Also part of the research team were Northumbria University academics Dr Nick Caplan and Johannes H?nekopp, with Bernard Fink, from the Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of G?ttingen, Germany.

The study, "Male body movements as possible cues to physical strength: a biomechanical analysis", is published online in this month's American Journal of Human Biology

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Journal Reference:

1. N. Neave et al. Male body movements as possible cues to physical strength: a biomechanical analysis. American Journal of Human Biology, 2013

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/P6rh0QRlHrQ/130128081946.htm

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Senators push immigration plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has agreed on an immigration reform plan that would provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States but only after borders are better secured.

The plan, unveiled a day before President Barack Obama is to give a policy speech on immigration in Nevada, tackles the most explosive issue - how to deal with the millions of foreigners living in the United States illegally.

Under the group's proposal, undocumented immigrants would be allowed to register with the government, pay a fine, and then be given probationary legal status allowing them to work.

Ultimately, they would have to "go to the end of the line" and apply for permanent status, according to the document by eight Senators including Republicans Marco Rubio of Florida, John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Democrats Charles Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Michael Bennet of Colorado and Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

The White House praised the group's efforts but warned that Obama would not be satisfied until there was meaningful reform. The president "will continue to urge Congress to act until that is achieved," a White House spokesman said.

Lawmakers have scheduled a news conference for 2:30 p.m. ET.

Under the plan, no one would be given more permanent legal status until new measures were implemented to stem the flow of immigrants across U.S. borders, a critical concession to conservatives and border state members of congress.

The path to citizenship would also be contingent on a new enforcement measure to track the status of immigrants who may have overstayed visas, the document said.

The proposal resembles previous immigration bills - including a 2007 measure that died in Congress in part because of disagreement over the timing and balance of border-enforcement measures versus granting citizenship to the millions of undocumented immigrants.

But advocates noted that this time, the climate was ripe for immigration reform.

"Conservatives, law enforcers and businesses are calling for immigration reform. You did not see that in 2007," said Ali Noorani, the executive director with the National Immigration Forum advocacy group.

Democrats have considered future citizenship for undocumented immigrants a "bottom line" for a bill, as Schumer said Sunday at a news conference.

Republicans, in turn, have tended to stress border security.

While the framework released Monday includes something for all these groups, translating the four-page outline into legislation with a chance of passing is likely to prove challenging, notwithstanding the bi-partisan makeup of the group and support that came early Monday from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

SUPPORT FROM CONSERVATIVES

Rubio's involvement has helped give the plan credibility among some Republicans. His proposals have attracted support from influential conservatives, including former vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and TV commentator Bill O'Reilly.

Last year, Rubio had a hard time getting conservatives on board for allowing "dreamers" to stay here - children of illegals, many of whom have spent most of their lives in the United States, are in the country through no fault of their own and attend U.S. schools.

Rubio is a Cuban-American who is often mentioned as a presidential contender. He is a favorite of the Tea Party conservative movement.

In addition to the path to citizenship, the Senators' proposal outlines three other legislative goals: retaining and attracting highly qualified workers; creating a system to prevent identity theft and the hiring of unauthorized workers: and establishing a way to bring in unskilled labor while providing them with workers rights.

The immigration issue was largely pushed aside during Obama's first term as he tackled healthcare and the economy. But the president, who had overwhelming support from Hispanic voters in his 2012 re-election, cited it as part of his agenda when sworn in for a second term last week.

Immigration has been among the toughest issues confronting Congress over the past two decades, in part because so many powerful interest groups have a stake in it, from business organizations in need of skilled labor to the trade union movement, which worries that a flow of immigrant labor unprotected by U.S. workplace laws could depress wages.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made immigration reform a priority this year, expressing particular support for provisional visas for lesser-skilled workers and expansion of green cards for foreign nationals who receive advanced degrees from U.S. colleges and universities.

On Monday, the Chamber praised the proposal and said it would work with all parties to get a bill passed.

(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Fred Barbash and Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bipartisan-senate-group-proposes-broad-immigration-plan-103529891.html

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Rock singer Morrissey postpones six more shows due to bleeding ulcer

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British rock singer Morrissey is postponing six performances on his U.S. tour due to a bleeding ulcer, his spokeswoman said on Sunday.

"Morrissey is expected to make a full recovery and thanks everyone concerned for their support during this time," his representative Lauren Papapietro said in a statement.

Morrissey, the former lead singer for 1980s alternative rock band The Smiths, checked into Beaumont Hospital on Friday in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, Papapietro said.

She declined to say if he remains hospitalized.

Due to his bleeding ulcer, Morrissey is postponing his upcoming shows in Asheville, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; Lawrence, Kansas; Clear Lake, Iowa; and Lincoln, Nebraska, Papapietro said.

He plans to resume his tour on February 9 in Las Vegas.

Due to an illness in his band, Morrissey, 53, canceled his show Thursday in Flint, Michigan, and postponed a Friday night performance in Minneapolis and another engagement set for Saturday night in Chicago, Papapietro said.

Morrissey, whose hits include "First of the Gang to Die" and "Irish Blood, English Heart," toured North America last fall, played some shows in Australia and New Zealand in December and returned to the United States this month.

He kicked off his latest tour with a performance of his unreleased song "Action is My Middle Name" on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in New York.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Kevin Gray and Stacey Joyce)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rock-singer-morrissey-postpones-six-more-shows-due-005109195.html

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Video: Sneak peek at JFK?s jacket, photos up for auction

>>> president john f. kennedy and his family have fascinated people for more than 50 years. now an extensive collection of memorabilia belonging to one of kennedy's closest advisers, is going on the auction block. appraiser from massachusetts is giving us a sneak peek. dan, good to see you this morning.

>> thanks for having us be part of the show.

>> these are from david powers . tell us who he was.

>> he knew him from 1946 right up to the assassination.

>> he had a vast amount of items pertaining to john f. kennedy .

>> yes.

>> talk about these photos and this invitation to the wedding.

>> this is all kind of wedding related. this photograph right here, bachelor party . you can see the irish mafia in the back. jack, his sister and -- jack, right there, bobby. this is signed to the powers, from jackie, a wedding photograph. this is the actual invitation that the powers were sent.

>> any idea what items like that will fetch?

>> we estimate it's $150, this may be $400.

>> tell me about the bomber jacket .

>> this is the air force one leather bomber jacket , given to dave in 1960 or 1962 . this was his pride and joy. it was talked about during his lifetime. romd reagan signed a letter, used it in his first exhibit.

>> one of his responsibilities was to make sure that the presidential flag was flying when he traveled with the president.

>> yes.

>> this is one of the two presidential flags.

>> yes, there's two now. it says president of the united states right on the inside on the original label and everything. it's quite very rare, unique item.

>> signed copy of profiles, and kennedy signed this while he was president?

>> it makes it so great.

>> the pen signing the order to stop the delivery of defensive weapons to cuba.

>> yes.

>> given to dave powers . birthday card signed by john jr.

>> yes, on what would have been jack kennedy 's last birthday. this is john's signature, xxo.

>> these are haunting. these are notes that dave powers wrote up for the trip to dallas in november. it includes notations after the president was assassinated.

>> minute by minute. it's just so earth shatteringly -- chills you to the bone when you read it.

>> the last entry my president is dead.

>> yes. the president before he died and was in the hospital, you open it up. open the first page says dave powers , the president was going to give you this and you can basically read it, but the key to it is that you and i will miss him the most, signed jackie. this was the day after he was murdered. look at our website and you will find all the information you need. you can bid right from your computer at home.

>> dan, thank you very much.

>> thank you.

>> fascinating items.

>> thank you.

>> the auction will be held

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50613864/

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Boeing 787 probe shifts to monitoring system maker

TOKYO (AP) ? The joint U.S. and Japanese investigation into the Boeing 787's battery problems has shifted from the battery-maker to the manufacturer of a monitoring system.

Japan transport ministry official Shigeru Takano said Monday the probe into battery-maker GS Yuasa was over for now as no evidence was found it was the source of the problems.

Ministry officials said they will inspect Kanto Aircraft Instrument Co. on Monday as part of the ongoing investigation. It makes a system that monitors voltage, charging and temperature of the lithium-ion batteries.

All 50 of the Boeing 787s in use around the world are grounded after one of the jets operated by All Nippon Airways made an emergency landing in Japan earlier this month when its main battery overheated. Earlier in January, a battery in a Japan Airlines 787 caught fire while parked at Boston's Logan International Airport.

GS Yuasa shares jumped on the news it is no longer being investigated, gaining nearly 5 percent in Tokyo trading. The issue had plunged 12 percent after the battery problems surfaced in Japan.

Ministry officials stopped short of saying that Kanto's monitoring system was under any special scrutiny, saying it was part of an ongoing investigation.

"We are looking into affiliated parts makers," Takano said. "We are looking into possibilities."

Kyoto-based GS Yuasa declined to comment, noting that the investigation was still underway.

Deliveries of the jet dubbed the Dreamliner were three years behind schedule because of manufacturing delays. Much of the aircraft is made by outside manufacturers, many of them major Japanese companies who make about 35 percent of the plane.

It is the first jet to make wide use of lithium-ion batteries, the kind usually found in laptops and other gadgets. They are prone to overheating and require additional systems to avoid fires.

Investigators have been looking at the remnants of the ANA flight's charred battery, but it is unclear whether the battery or a related part was behind its overheating. Investigators have said the ANA battery and the JAL battery did not receive excess voltage.

Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways was the "launch customer" for the 787, and has been forced to cancel services ? 643 domestic flights through Feb. 12, affecting 69,000 passengers, and 195 international flights through Feb. 18, affecting 13,620 passengers.

Japan Airlines, which has fewer 787s than ANA, has deployed other aircraft in its fleet, minimizing its flight cancellations.

Boeing, which competes against Airbus of France, has halted 787 deliveries. Boeing has orders for more than 800 of the Dreamliner planes.

The 787 is the first airliner made mostly from lightweight composite materials that boost fuel efficiency. It also relies on electronic systems rather than hydraulic or mechanical systems to a greater degree than any other airliner.

Analysts say customers won't come back to the 787 unless its safety is solidly assured.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at www.twitter.com/yurikageyama

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-787-probe-shifts-monitoring-system-maker-061725070--finance.html

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Video: Post Show Thoughts: Paul Ryan Speaks Out

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50606210#50606210

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Japan defends stimulus, yen policy under fire

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Japan's economy minister rejected criticism on Saturday that his country's extraordinary fiscal and monetary stimulus program was aimed at weakening the yen and undermined central bank independence.

Akira Amari told the World Economic Forum in Davos it was up to the market to determine the currency's exchange rate, and the Bank of Japan had chosen independently to sign a joint statement with the government on actions to fight deflation and revive economic growth.

"You might think there's a deliberate policy to drive down the value of the yen but we in government refrain from commenting on the exchange rate of the yen," Amari said in response to criticism of Japanese action.

South Korea's central bank governor questioned the efficacy of Japan's easing of monetary policy and said the BOJ's decision to start buying unlimited amounts of assets in 2014 could have unintended long-term consequences.

"What they did created a couple of problems," Bank of Korea Governor Kim Chong-soo told Reuters in an interview in Davos. "One is that the level (of the currency) is affected, and the pace of change is also a problem. They did it too hastily."

A stable exchange rate is key for the Bank of Korea, Kim added.

The yen has come under pressure since reports on Thursday quoted deputy economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura as saying the yen's decline was not over, and that a dollar/yen level of 100 would not be a concern.

The Japanese currency is now trading around a 2-1/2 year low against the dollar at around 90 yen, as the market remained focused on Japan's pursuit of a reflationary economic policy.

BREAK CYCLE OF DEFLATION

Amari said the government and the BOJ had agreed on exceptional measures because Japan had to break a prolonged cycle of deflation and economic contraction.

Appearing on the same panel, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde refrained from direct criticism but urged Japan to put forward a medium-term plan to reduce its public debt after this week's measures.

"Japan has made very important decisions. We are very interested in these policies. We would like them to complement it with a mid-term plan on how the debt would be reduced," Lagarde said.

Japan's debt stood at 235 percent of gross domestic product before new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a new deficit-financed stimulus program this month. The BOJ said it was doubling its inflation target to 2 percent and would take new monetary stimulus measures.

Appearing on the same panel, Canadian central bank chief Mark Carney, soon to take over as governor of the Bank of England, said the Japanese policy as outlined did not breach the Group of Seven industrial nations' policy understanding against unilateral currency intervention.

However a European Central Bank source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the ECB was "not very happy" at what was seen as a step towards competitive devaluations and the Group of 20 major economies' finance ministers and central bankers should address the issue next month.

"I guess this is a G20 issue that needs to be addressed there. It is potentially dangerous and we should avoid (currency wars)," the source said.

"It's not a problem yet. But if they (Japan) continue in that direction and we see also what's happening with quantitative easing in the United States and Britain, then we would be the only one who would not follow suit.

"The risk is that this would indeed have an effect on the exchange rate and that we would get into a dangerous situation," the ECB source said.

(Reporting by Lisa Jucca, Kelvin Soh and Paul Taylor; writing by Paul Taylor; editing by Jason Neely)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-minister-not-trying-weaken-yen-central-bank-141103533--business.html

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Dressed to Kill...or to Be Really Organized | DIY and home ...

We have officially stepped up our organizational/storage game. Last weekend, we were traveling to Jersey City for a friend?s birthday and we couldn?t resist a ?quick? pit stop at good old IKEA in Elizabeth, NJ (the closest IKEA to us). As I mentioned in my last post, (which you can read here), we devised a plan for moving our dressers around + purchasing a new one to create more storage space. Here?s a quick re-cap:

We had 1 dresser in our office dedicated to a lot of Andrew?s clothes.

We had another dresser in our bedroom, which was for my clothes:

The idea was to move the dresser in the bedroom, into the office, and place the 2 IKEA Malm dressers on one of the larger walls in our office, pictured here with the keyboard, pre-move:

We purchased 1 new, 4-drawer IKEA Malm dresser for the bedroom. So I have gained 1 drawer and Andrew has technically gained 3! Wall space in our bedroom is limited, so we figured if we can?t go out, go up! The 4-drawer IKEA Malm dresser was just the right height to fit right under our wall-mounted TV, so we didn?t have to move that at all (whew)! Here?s what the bedroom dresser setup looks like now:

Is it me, or does the room somehow look bigger?? You probably can?t really tell from this picture, but for some reason, this dresser makes things feel a bit roomier. Maybe because it?s taller than the previous it?s drawing my eyes up, creating the illusion of more space? Or maybe I?m just lost in space, who knows?either way, I love it! My things are at a better level and, of course, I gained an extra drawer. Now I can stop over-stuffing drawers and lay my clothes neatly?at least until I go on another shopping spree.

As for the office, the new setup looks like this, ?music nook? and dressers on the inside wall, respectively:

This I really love! We have definitely lost some floor space in this scenario, but this just makes more sense to me. I think this wall was meant to have these dressers spanning the greater part of it. In addition to gaining 3 more drawers in this room, we have also gained some more surfaces. I can?t wait to spice this space up with a little more decor. We?ve got some great plans for the surface of the dressers, as well as the wall space above them. As of right now, we?re thinking of definitely adding a table runner across the width of the dressers. Then maybe some new framed artwork and some other decorative finds. For the wall, we?re definitely thinking of finding a cheap/old mirror to gussy up and eventually hang above, maybe with some other accents around?? We?re not quite sure yet, but we?re pretty excited about this new take on the office.

Stick with us as we make more DIY and design decisions in our Fresh Nest! Andrew?s got a great post coming up about a project he tackled recently. In the meantime, follow me on Pinterest to see what?s inspiring me lately AND ?Like? us on Facebook to see some ?behind the scenes? photos from our life.

Source: http://freshnestblog.com/dressed-to-kill-or-to-be-really-organized/

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A Google Trends Chart For The Word 'Investing' Says It All ...

Are we at the moment where the retail investor is finally going to get into stocks again?

If so, here's a fun chart that might be worth keeping an eye on.

It's a Google Trends search volume chart for the word "investing."

Talk about being in secular decline.

Searchers for the term are about a 3rd as heavy as where they were in 2004. Keep an eye on this one.

And here's one for the term 'Online Trading'

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-google-trends-chart-for-the-word-investing-says-it-all-2013-1

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Frontiers publishes systematic review on the effects of ... - Health.am

Yoga has positive effects on mild depression and sleep complaints, even in the absence of drug treatments, and improves symptoms associated with schizophrenia and ADHD in patients on medication, according to a systematic review of the exercise on major clinical psychiatric disorders.

Published in the open-access journal, Frontiers in Psychiatry, on January 25th, 2013, the review of more than one hundred studies focusing on 16 high-quality controlled studies looked at the effects of yoga on depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, sleep complaints, eating disorders and cognition problems.

Yoga in popular culture
Yoga is a popular exercise and is practiced by 15.8 million adults in the United States alone, according to a survey by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau, and its holistic goal of promoting psychical and mental health is widely held in popular belief.

?However, yoga has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has become difficult for physicians and patients to differentiate legitimate claims from hype,? wrote the authors in their study. ?Our goal was to examine whether the evidence matched the promise.?

Benefits of the exercise were found for all mental health illnesses included in the review, except for eating disorders and cognition problems as the evidence for these was conflicting or lacking.

Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke University Medical Center, US, and author of the study, explained that the emerging scientific evidence in support of the 5,000 year old Indian practice on psychiatric disorders is ?highly promising? and showed that yoga may not only help to improve symptoms, but also may have an ancillary role in the prevention of stress-related mental illnesses.

According to Stephen Cope, a psychotherapist and author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self, hatha yoga?s postures improve mood by moving energy through places in the body where feelings of grief or anger are stored. ?Hatha yoga is an accessible form of learning self-soothing,? he says. ?These blocked feelings can be released very quickly, [creating a] regular, systemic experience of well-being.? Yoga students may also benefit from their relationship with the yoga instructor, Cope said, which can provide a ?container? or a safe place for investigating, expressing and resolving emotional issues. The instructor?s encouraging and accepting words may also help students defeat self-limiting notions.

Not all mental health practitioners are convinced of yoga?s healing powers, but many agree it can be helpful when combined with more traditional treatments. Zindel Segal, Ph.D., a University of Toronto psychiatry professor, recently studied SRRP when used in conjunction with cognitive therapy. He asked 145 people who were at risk for depression to undergo cognitive therapy either alone or with the SRRP. Segal found that after eight weeks of treatment, those participants who received both types of therapy were much less likely to relapse into depression. ?This means that people can learn about their emotions not just by writing down their thoughts, which is what cognitive therapy is all about, but also by paying attention to the way their emotions are expressed in their bodies,? he says. ?Both approaches allow people to observe their experience without judgment, an important first step in stepping out of depression.?

While yoga?s therapeutic capabilities are still under scientific scrutiny, Smith isn?t waiting for more proof. Having lost her grandmother to depression- she was one of many bipolar sufferers who take their own life due to the disease- Smith is determined not to let the disorder get the best of her. Since 1994, she has practiced and taught hatha yoga to depression sufferers- passing on what she believes has literally saved her life.

The review found evidence from biomarker studies showing that yoga influences key elements of the human body thought to play a role in mental health in similar ways to that of antidepressants and psychotherapy. One study found that the exercise affects neurotransmitters, inflammation, oxidative stress, lipids, growth factors and second messengers.

Yoga is no longer a traditional fitness workout. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (Nimhans) not only has a 45-minute yoga package to treat psychiatric disorders like depression and schizophrenia, but has started comparing its curative effects with general medicine.

Doctors at Nimhans say their studies reveal evidence of biological changes in the body brought about by yoga. They prescribe yoga therapy along with medication in major ailments, while using yoga therapy alone for less serious disorders.

Unmet need among mental health patients

Depression alone affects more than 350 million people globally and is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On World Mental Health Day last year, the WHO called for improved access to treatments.

While there has been an increase in the number of medications available for mental health disorders, many of which can be life saving for patients, there remains ?a considerable unmet need,? according to Dr. Meera Balasubramaniam, lead author of the study, who is also based at Duke University, US.

When you hear the word ?depression?, probably the first thing that will come to your mind is sadness. And yes, you thought right. Depression is a state of sadness. However, it is not to be confused with major depression, which is a mental condition characterized by a severe state of sadness or melancholy that has reached the point of hindering a person from functioning well socially.

While simple depression (or a depressed mood) may only last for a short time and can be treated easily, major depression can last for a longer time and treatment can vary from person to person. Major depression is also more dangerous because not only does it disrupt your social functions, but it has more serious symptoms such as:

Being fatigued physically and mentally

Change in appetite

Feeling of intense fear or melancholy

Irritability

Loss of interest in usual activities

Changes in sleeping patterns (e.g. insomnia, excessive sleep, or loss of REM sleep)

Trouble in decision-making or in concentrating

Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or helplessness

Delusions or hallucinations

Recurring thoughts of suicide or death

Poor compliance and relapse as well as treatment resistance are growing problems, and medications are expensive and can leave patients with significant side effects.

Provided by ArmMed Media

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Source: http://www.health.am/psy/more/effects-of-yoga-on-major-psychiatric-disorders/

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Woman sues Match.com for $10 million after brutal attack

1 day

Suzanne Choney , NBC News

A Las Vegas woman who was severely beaten by a man she met through Match.com is suing the online dating site for $10 million?two years and multiple surgeries after the attack that left her hospitalized for months.

The woman, Mary Kay Beckman, was stabbed multiple times with a butcher knife on Jan. 21, 2011?by?Wade Mitchell Ridley, and when?the knife broke, he stomped on her head. Ridley, who was sentenced to?28 to 70 years,?died in prison last year. He was also facing a murder charge in Arizona for the stabbing death of a former girlfriend a few weeks after the attack on Beckman.

Beckman filed suit in Clark County, Nevada,?accusing Match.com of negligence, negligent misrepresentation, deceptive trade, failure to warn and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The site, she said, failed to warn her about the dangers of meeting "an individual whose intentions are not to find a mate, but to find victims to kill or rape."

The real estate agent said she joined Match.com about a month before her first in-person meeting with Ridley on Sept. 26, 2010. They dated for 10 days, but she called it off. That's when Ridley started sending her threatening and harassing messages.?

On Jan. 21, 2011, Ridley attacked Beckman in her garage, and left her for dead, she says, when she stopped making a "gurgling noise."?

Beckman, now 50, continues to recover and to speak out against online dating?"I do not believe that online dating is a safe venue for men or women,"?she?recently?told?a?local?FOX?TV?reporter.

Match.com, in a statement to NBC News Friday, said that what happened to Beckman "is horrible, but this lawsuit is absurd.?The many millions of people who have found love on Match.com and other online dating sites know how fulfilling it is. And while that doesn't make what happened in this case any less awful, this is about a sick, twisted individual with no prior criminal record, not an entire community of men and women looking to meet each other."

Safety, the site said, "is very important to Match," which, like many other online dating sites, includes online and offline tips for staying safe.

In California, Match.com and two other dating sites, eHarmony and Spark Networks, signed a joint statement of business principles, agreeing to screen for sex offenders and take other safety steps after a woman was assaulted on a date, the state attorney general's office said last March.?

The joint statement ?was prompted by the 2010 sexual assault of a Los Angeles-area woman by a man she met through Match.com, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office said. The woman sued Match.com, seeking a court order requiring the site to check applicants' backgrounds to weed out convicted sex offenders. She dropped the suit after the site provided proof of such screening.

Meanwhile, in the last two years, friends and work associates of Beckman have held fundraisers for her, including one last year, with information shared about it on YouTube (see video below).

Check out Technology, GadgetBox, Digital?Life and InGame on?Facebook,?and on?Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/woman-sues-match-com-10-million-after-brutal-attack-1C8119714

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French take airport in Mali Islamist stronghold

By James Regan and David Lewis, Reuters

KONNA, Mali - French forces in Mali have seized the airport and the bridge over the Niger River at the Islamist rebel-held stronghold of Gao, the French Defence Ministry said Saturday.

French and Malian forces have advanced rapidly against Islamist militant fighters holding the Saharan north of the West African state after France intervened earlier this month at the request of the Malian government.

On Friday, al-Qaida-allied fighters were forced to pull back under relentless French air strikes and the town of Hombori, about 100miles southwest of Gao, was recaptured.

---

French and Malian troops have been pushing forward on either side of the Niger River, securing several farming towns recaptured over the last week.

Gao, with the other Saharan desert towns of Timbuktu and Kidal, has been occupied since last year by an Islamist alliance that includes AQIM, the north African franchise of al-Qaida.

NBC's Richard Engel expects a support role for the U.S. in the current conflict in Mali with no "boots on the ground." Engel talks to MSNBC's Craig Melvin about the ongoing conflict.

Mali's national radio said Hombori's inhabitants turned out to cheer the government soldiers.

Western and African leaders say the U.N.-backed intervention in Mali is necessary to stop the country's north - a vast, lawless tract of desert and mountains that juts into the Sahara - from becoming a safe haven for radical Islamist jihadists seeking to launch international attacks.

A Malian officer and residents living in the area south of Gao reported Thursday that the militants had blown up a bridge at Tassiga, south of Ansongo, on the road following the Niger River down to Niger.

Two civilians were reported killed when their vehicle drove off the destroyed bridge, the same sources said.?

Related:

Malians praise French troops: 'If they leave, I will leave'

Jihadists leave trail of destruction, brutality

Analysis: Why France is taking on Mali extremists

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/26/16710830-french-troops-take-airport-bridge-in-mali-islamist-stronghold?lite

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Use These Multi-level Marketing Suggestions To Your Plan | Mike ...

So you are wondering how to be successful in multilevel marketing? There are so many different ideas out there that it can get pretty overwhelming. While no one method is perfect, there are some simple tips that can benefit anyone trying to take off in multi-level marketing. I?ve pulled a few of those together for you here.

Multi-level marketing is a business like any other and that means you need to develop a business plan. If you just decide to ?wing it,? you are pretty much guaranteeing that you are going to go down in flames. Develop your plan, write it down and stick to it. Failure to plan becomes a failure to succeed.

Multilevel marketing offers some of the best opportunities for success in your own home-based business, mainly because the start-up costs associated with it are smaller compared to most other conventional businesses. Once you have decided on companies and products, position yourself to leverage your own business.

A fundamental factor to being successful with MLM is to maintain a positive attitude. There will definitely be days and perhaps weeks when you fail to make a single sale or attract any prospects. It is understandable to want to feel discouraged during these times but you cannot let it get to you and hold you down. You must maintain a positive attitude because your primary job is to market. If you are anything less than positive, it will show and it will definitely affect your ability to attract buyers and prospects. No one wants to sign up with a loser!

When you have a career doing multi-level marketing, you need to make sure that you are spending your time wisely. Taking a lot of time to check your emails or Facebook is not really going to get you anywhere in terms of making more money. Make sure you know the sales of your company product, and how your sponsors are doing, then you can spend some time doing the things first mentioned.

Don?t put any pressure on any of your leads! The more pressure you place on them, the more likely they are to run for the hills. Make them feel like YOU are helping them, not that you are desperate for them to join you because they have to start making you some money.

Recognize how to set goals and when yours may be unrealistic. Don?t set goals with deadlines that are not only unachievable, but are also going to be frustrating when you don?t achieve them. Instead, set a series of small, obtainable goals that lead to accomplishing bigger goals, and be happy as you cross them one-by-one off your list.

Remember when working as a network marketer, that this is not a road to instant riches. It takes a lot of effort to make people believe in your product and of the potential it has to make them wealthy. Some folks are going to be slow to come around and you cannot push them into making hasty decisions.

Do not stop learning if you want to be a success at network marketing. The business of network marketing is ever changing. Only those who stay on top of developments and changes will remain successful over the long haul. Take advantage of available resources, and invest in your own education.

Spend most of your valuable time with the people who make the most money, also know as your top producers. About 80% of your time should be geared towards them. The remaining 20% can be spent on everyone else. Let people earn their face time with you so that you can prioritize your possibilities.

People will not follow companies, brands, or profits; they follow leaders. The truth is that people with strength and leadership skills are the ones who make the most out of a network marketing career. You have to lead your downline and show them that you are the right person to follow and you will be the one to make them a success.

It is very important for you to gear the content of your network marketing website towards the demographics of the type of people you want to sign up for your business. If you only speak English, then it?s not a great idea to offer translation on your website, for example.

The recipe for success varies wildly, although many of the ingredients are staples and remain unchanged. Things like proper information, hard work, and an effective, motivated approach are general, fixed principles of any business. Take the tips you?ve just learned and add your own ingredients to a recipe for success.

Visit Robert Strong blog to read more about this article what is different the bottom line and top line in mlm business And get his free Ebook

Source: http://www.mikefinding-online.com/make-money-online/use-these-multi-level-marketing-suggestions-to-your-plan/

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Video: Rossen reports: Criminals use webcams for spying

>>> we will begin this half hour with a new rocking report, could predators be spying on you and your kids through a webcam ? here with eye hoping and kind of frightening details. good morning to you.

>> hi. it is kind of scary. the really scary thing is we all use our computer and get distracted with something and simply walk away . you forget the computer is still on. the criminals are counting on it. now, they can hack into your webcam remotely watching your most intimate moments live. the worst part is you never even know. we will show you how they do it and how to protect yourself right now.

>> reporter: these teenage girls don't know it but a stranger is spying on them inside their bedroom. and in their dining room , as the family either dinner. little do they know, thousands of miles away , this man has hacked into their laptop and turned on their webcam .

>> people who are victims generally have no idea they are victims.

>> reporter: that man is working with us, computer expert jim stake stakely.

>> they have pictures of you or someone else ?

>> they're all over the internet.

>> reporter: they are easy targets. criminals like this man. prosecutors say he was spying on over 200 women through their webcams, watching their most private moments, even blackmailing some of them. he's now serving six years in prison.

>> reporter: these are criminal, peeping toms?

>> niethese are predator, your worst nightmare.

>> they are watching you in your most intimate moment.

>> anywhere, your bathroom, anywhere you have your hap tlaptop open. with with this family's permission, we had him hack into their computer and how did he do it, sent this little e -card.

>> they can see a quacking duck and without their knowledge i also loaded a trojan during that time.

>> reporter: giving him access even when the computer is in sleep mode. you have no clue.

>> have a seat. thanks for doing it. wi

>> reporter: we told the mom and daughters we came to do a general story about online security.

>> reporter: ever have a problem with someone hacking into your home?

>> no.

>> reporter: they had no idea days before we had been spying on them through our computer webcam . our interview over, we told the girls to go upstairs and wait in their room. then, downstairs, we let mom in on the secret.

>> we actually recorded your family dinner the other night. no one was in your house except for you guys.

>> it's really creepy. i mean, my children are on their computers in the evening in their bedrooms. i'm a little frightened right now for their security.

>> reporter: oh we took it up a notch. having our expert hack into the webcam in hertaug daughter's upstairs bedroom.

>> reporter: we're watching them in their bedroom.

>> i am sick over this.

>> this time it was our computer expert and next time it could be a predator.

>> i'm glad to learn from this and try to avoid this from ever happening.

>> reporter: then we gave the girls a wake-up call.

>> we've been watching you from downstairs from your webcam . your expert was able to hack into your system and watch you in your room.

>> oh, my god.

>> it's scary. definitely scary. someone could be watching you anytime and this is where you feel the most comfortable.

>> so how can you protect yourself, the main question. number one, shut off your computer when you walk away or close your laptop. you can also put a piece of black tape across the lens of the webcam . here's another tip. don't open any e-mails from people you don't know. we hear it all the time. that includes those facebook links that say things like watch this incredible video. unless you trust the person, don't do it. those random links are exactly how the hackers get in.

>> would you have any idea how widespread something like this is?

>> it's hard for the fbi to know that because many victims don't even know they're victims unless you're blackmailed like the gentleman in that story did. and the problem is once he gets in, he can have hundreds of people he can watch at once.

>> thank you. i don't think i'll be opening any e-mails from you any time soon.

>> he's not the problem.

>> i know. a check of

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50572646/

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AP Source: Obama to nominate Mary Joe White as next head of Securities and Exchange panel

Copyright ? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Copyright ? 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | Yahoo! - ABC News Network |

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-obama-nominate-mary-130300282.html

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This Is How DARPA Will Strip Old Satellites for Parts

There's a bunch of junk orbiting the Earth right now, a bunch of junk that we put there. But not all of the old satellites that are zooming around the planet are totally useless; plenty still have good stuff in them that could be reused and DARPA wants to start mining them. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YRuBWaYS8fk/this-is-how-darpa-will-strip-old-satellites-for-parts

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American Idol: The Mariah Carey vs. Nicki Minaj fight that fizzled

American Idol recap: If American Idol viewers were tuning in to see the much hyped brawl between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey on Wednesday night, they were likely disappointed.?

By Jodi Bradbury,?Contributor / January 24, 2013

Ryan Seacrest and Mariah Carey are seen onstage at the American Idol premiere event at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA, in Los Angeles in January.

Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

Enlarge

Last week, American Idol had pretty much set the stage for what to expect in the coming season. Nicki Minaj was obnoxious and over-the-top. Keith Urban was mellow, laid back and easily overshadowed by Nicki's nasally antics, Mariah Carey thought she was above it all (especially Nicki) and Randy Jackson was, well Randy was Randy. It was clear from the readers' comments that many felt American Idol hadn't done themselves any favors with their new ensemble of judges; in fact, many predicted the demise of the show.

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Then came Wednesday's much hyped and anticipated episode.

The episode that was to feature the knock-down drag-out fight between Mariah and Nicki that had been creating incessant buzz months before Idol even premiered. Reports of threats between the two females judges, increased security and the show's production coming to a halt surfaced and resurfaced while viewers waited for the show's return.

Well, like so much of the gossip surrounding celebrities, the argument between Maria And Nicki was much ado about nothing.

Although Nicki did walk off the set in a huff, the disagreement was no more severe than some of the spats between Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul once upon a time. In fact, to call it a "Mariah and Nicki argument" is oversimplification at its best when it was more like Nicki versus the world.

If Ryan Seacrest's voice-over foreshadowing can be trusted, the disagreement had been brewing all day. When contestant Taisha Bethea?auditioned under the premise of being a "rock" girl, Keith, Mariah, and Randy were perplexed by her decision to sing Johnny Cash. After doing a pretty decent job on "Folsom Prison Blues," the judges began to squawk about who she really was as an artist. Quickly, Taisha offered up some Alanis Morrisette as proof of her rock sensibilities but Randy and Mariah weren't sold and said 'no' to a Hollywood ticket. Keith also doubted her allegiance to rock but gave her a 'yes.' Then it was Nicki's turn and something very bizarre happened.

Nicki made perfect sense.

She voted 'yes' for Taisha, adding that she didn't care what type of artist Taisha wanted to be. This created quite a stir between Randy and Mariah who stared knowingly at one another, their communication, though silent was clear enough. It went some thing like this:

Mariah: Randy, dahrling, can you believe what that pink-headed little toad just said?

Randy: I cannot. She is not worthy to be sitting on this panel with the likes of you, my lady. Not that I ever thought she was. I mean, in my mind, she can't compare to Your Highness,?for me, for you, for me.

Then?Summer Cunningham auditioned, singing the song, "Lean on Me." Her voice was really beautiful but of course the judges started to question her about who she wanted to be as an artist. A line of questioning that never quite made sense. Isn't it possible to have an artist who is eclectic? Someone who has enough talent to perform in multiple genres? Nevertheless, Summer made a misstep when she stated, "Well, I did the country thing," instantly offending Keith Urban. He remarked that her comment was like someone saying that they did "the brain surgeon" thing. Yes Keith, both are obviously equally difficult to perform.

Randy and Mariah, who were like BFF's on Wednesday, then joined in to badger Summer. Summer, sensing that her ticket to Hollywood was dependent upon her allegiance to country music quickly folded under the pressure. Within moments she was delivering an impassioned ode to the genre, claiming that country music was like home to her. Thankfully, what she lacks in integrity she makes up for in talent.

Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj who had spent a good portion of the day on her phone, was becoming annoyed by the line of questioning. She complained that the judges were making the contestants lie about who they were as artists because that's what they thought the judges wanted to hear. Randy and Mariah were offended, claiming that they were only trying to help the contestant. A few digs were thrown back and forth and then Nicki walked off the set.

And that, my friends, was the much hyped brawl between Mariah and Nicki. And while it didn't result in Nicki and Mariah quitting (best case scenario) it did the next best thing: It proved that Nicki actually had something legitimate to say and was willing to stand up for what she believed in. It can't be easy to be on the panel knowing that your peers and half the country think you're a joke ? and she certainly doesn't help herself out with her costume choices and silly antics ? but on Wednesday she made perfectly valid arguments. Would it have been more productive had she not stormed off the set like a two-year-old? Sure, but let's give the girl a break, she made a good point and didn't do it in a British Accent. Baby steps!

Whether it was because of the relief of some built-up pressure or the judges just needing some time to find their groove, the rest of the episode was actually very entertaining. Enough so that it gave hope that American Idol might still have a little magic in its belly, even after all these years. The episode, despite some judging drama, also featured some memorable auditions:

• Rodney Barber: Rodney?claimed that he was known as the voice of Charlotte and that he shares the money he earns by singing on the streets of Charlotte with those less fortunate. Rodney himself was once homeless and feels it is his duty to help others the same way he was once helped. His voice was good but his story and personality were definitely better and earned him his ticket to Hollywood.
• Isabel Gonzalez - Isabel was the second contestant to be nominated to audition on the show. This is a painfully silly new concept that reeks of desperation by the producers to add some spice to what they fear is becoming a stale formula. Thankfully this time Randy traveling out to give someone who didn't want to audition in the first place, an invitation to audition, paid off. Isabel was truly talented and earned her ticket to Hollywood.
• Seretha Guinn: Seretha showed up to the audition sporting this season's token toddler and telling a story of both hardship and triumph. Her daughter's father had been critically injured in an accident and Seretha had come to audition without his knowing, in hopes of making it through to Hollywood and being able to bring him home some good news. Seretha automatically made the list of interesting contestants when she opted to sing the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire. She had a great voice and her daughter, though clich? was uber-cute.
• Candice Glover: Candice was a contestant from Season 11 who was let go during Hollywood week and she was determined to earn her way back onto the show. After describing herself as a female Joshua Ledet (last year's second runner up) she gave what the judges exclaimed was one of the best auditions of the season. Compliments that would have been more meaningful had we been a few more shows in but chances are, Candice's audition may hang on to that title right through the end. Mariah and Randy gave viewers a flashback to last season by giving Candice a standing ovation while Nicki opted to express her fondness in words, "I want to skin you and wear you." Well . . . that's one way to put it.

Tune in on Thursday to see if Idol can keep the momentum going. Is it possible that Nicki could actually turn out to be?likable? Will Keith Urban make it through an entire show without leaving early? Will the judges continue to hound people about their musical loyalties? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

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Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/pjfUcsHHQFA/American-Idol-The-Mariah-Carey-vs.-Nicki-Minaj-fight-that-fizzled

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