Development of the chimpanzee determined by the X factor

Monday, January 30, 2012

One of the most important questions for evolution researchers is how a species develops and adapts during the course of time. An analysis of the genes of twelve chimpanzees has now demonstrated that the chimpanzee X chromosome plays a very special role in the animal's development. The analysis was carried out by researchers at the Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, the Section of Bioinformatics, University of Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Zoo and the sequencing centre at the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), China. The results have just been published online in the esteemed journal PNAS.

The background for evolution is found in our genome ? in DNA. Evolution is driven by mutations that create changes in the genome on an ongoing basis. These mutations are most often deleterious, but they are sometimes beneficial for bearers in the environment in which they live. Their survivability can be improved, which in turn increases the likelihood of having more offspring. These beneficial variants then increase in number until all the individuals in a species have the new variant. This process is called natural selection.

One X is enough

By sequencing all the genes in twelve chimpanzees from Central Africa, the researchers demonstrated that beneficial variants are accumulated on the X chromosome in particular.

Why does this chromosome behave in such a special way? The gender of the individual is determined by the X chromosome along with the Y chromosome. Males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes.

A new beneficial variant on one X chromosome in the female can 'hide itself' if it is not expressed as strongly as the old variant sitting on the other copy of the X chromosome. In this case, the new variant is called recessive, i.e. it is suppressed by the other more dominant gene. This means that a new beneficial recessive variant does not immediately provide a benefit for the females. On the other hand, the males only have one X chromosome and it is expressed immediately, thus enabling natural selection to 'catch sight' of it. This does not apply to the remaining twenty-two chromosomes in the genome, because both males and females have two copies of each of these.

One third are good changes

The researchers found that about a third of all the changes that have taken place on the X chromosome since humans and chimpanzees diverged approximately four to six million years ago have been beneficial for the chimpanzee. This is far from the case for the chimpanzee's remaining twenty-two chromosomes. The researchers therefore conclude that most of the new beneficial mutations must be recessive. This was already known regarding deleterious mutations on the X chromosome, e.g. colour blindness as a recessive trait and therefore only occurring in men. However, the new results show that this must also be the case for the more interesting beneficial mutations, i.e. those that develop a species over a period of time.

Disease leads to development

The new results make it probable that corresponding activity takes place in the human X chromosome. They also provide an explanation of previous studies in which it was observed that the X chromosome behaved strangely during the speciation process of humans and chimpanzees, in that it was considerably less variable than the remaining chromosomes. This lack of variation can be explained by the fact that natural selection, which actually eliminates variation, works stronger on the X chromosome than on the remaining chromosomes.

By closely studying all the chimpanzee genes, the researchers found examples of natural selection in the remaining chimpanzee chromosomes all being associated with genes that are important for the immune system, including a gene that gives partial resistance to HIV in humans. This indicates that diseases are one of the most important factors in the evolutionary development and adaptability of the chimpanzee.

###

Aarhus University: http://www.au.dk

Thanks to Aarhus University for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117179/Development_of_the_chimpanzee_determined_by_the_X_factor

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Justice sends more 'Fast and Furious' documents to Congress (CNN)

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Obama's targeted Latino appeal (Politico)

President Barack Obama?s got a version of his ?We can?t wait? drive customized for the Latino audience.

Never heard of it? Unless you?re a Latino voter, that?s no surprise.

Continue Reading

Over the past few months, the Obama administration has rolled out a series of executive actions that often garner little attention from the English-language press but get huge coverage in the Spanish-language media and other outlets favored by Hispanics.

As Obama?s GOP rivals face the primaries? first sizable group of Latino voters, in Florida, the president?s use of executive power to court the potentially pivotal demographic group already is well under way. And Obama?s team is heavily promoting his actions to their target audience.

When Obama sat down with Spanish-language network Univision on Wednesday, one of the first things he did was boast about the immigration policies he?s altered.

?Some of the changes that we?re making on immigration, we?re trying to make sure that we?re prioritizing criminals [for deportation],? the president said, without really being asked.

Latino advocates say they?ve noticed a new level of engagement from the White House.

?They want to tell Latinos what they?re doing. That?s clear,? said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), an outspoken immigration reform advocate who has pushed the administration to take unilateral steps to ease and refocus immigration enforcement.

Gutierrez said the proposals initially got a chilly reception from Obama and his aides, but the administration seems to be coming around.

?Before they weren?t worried about communicating with anyone in terms of the immigration sphere, except the very restrictionist community which they spoke to in very clear terms for three years. Every time they had a press conference on how many deportations, they weren?t shy about telling us,? Gutierrez said. ?So, there is a difference [now], and I?m happy. Does it take a campaign to bring that out? Maybe. But there are more families being kept together as a result of the changes.?

The steady stream of under-the-radar moves to tweak the immigration system are aimed at re-energizing Latino voters disappointed by Obama?s failure to win ? or even make a serious push on ? a comprehensive immigration overhaul, and by the record-setting number of deportations carried out since Obama took office, Democrats say.

Gutierrez dates the administration?s new focus on immigration issues to Obama?s appearance last July before the National Council of La Raza. As Obama explained to the Latino activists that he had little ability to change the immigration process without help from Congress, the crowd broke into a variation of his 2008 campaign slogan.

?Yes, you can. Yes, you can,? they chanted.

?I think at that point [Obama aides] said, ?You know what? We can,?? Gutierrez said.

Since that visit, the administration has discovered new flexibility to change a variety of immigration-related policies without the approval of Congress.

In August, the federal government promised to refocus deportations on criminals and launched an unprecedented review of all pending deportation cases, including those in which a final deportation order has been issued. In December, the Department of Homeland Security announced a toll-free hot line for citizens mistakenly detained as foreigners.

Earlier this month, Obama?s appointees began the process of tweaking the green-card policy, curtailing potentially dangerous trips to consulates in violence-plagued Mexico ? another change the president highlighted in his Univision interview. A few days later, DHS released a policy enhancing the rights of lawyers representing immigrants in deportation proceedings.

?In the mainstream press, I don?t see a lot of news about the waiver [process for green cards] and the deportation review, but you can see that in the Spanish media all the time,? said Antonieta Cadiz, White House correspondent for La Opini?n, a Spanish-language paper in Los Angeles. ?The administrative relief measures: That?s something important.?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories0112_72110_html/44348284/SIG=11m64q01k/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72110.html

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Bragging rights

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By JOSEPH WHITE

updated 5:13 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2012

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair have spent the last two weeks chasing each other, chasing history and chasing a place in the London Olympics.

Part three has been accomplished. Wambach and the U.S. women's soccer team qualified for the Summer Games on Friday night by beating Costa Rica. Sinclair and the Canadians punched their ticket a couple of hours later with a win over Mexico.

Now for a little competitive fun. The United States and Canada play each other Sunday in the championship game of the qualifying tournament. With the Olympic berths settled, the game is essentially for bragging rights between neighboring rivals.

"You try telling the players it's a glorified friendly when they play against the U.S.," Canada coach John Herdman said. "Nah. The sleeves are off straightaway."

The teams feature the two most prolific active goal-scorers in the world, and they have been putting on a show at BC Place.

Wambach and Sinclair played on alternate nights during the group phase of the tournament, and it almost seemed as if one was trying to top the other. Sinclair opened with four goals against Haiti; Wambach followed with a pair against the Dominican Republic. Sinclair got one against Cuba; Wambach notched two against Guatemala.

Wambach then went silent ? scoreless against Mexico and Costa Rica ? while Sinclair added two more against both teams.

Where do they stand now? It's a tie. They have 129 career goals apiece. They've both passed Germany's Birgit Prinz to move into third place all-time, one behind Kristine Lilly and still quite a few behind Mia Hamm's world-record 158.

"I think it's just going to be a matter of time whenever Sincy or I end up breaking Mia's record," Wambach said. "Obviously we want to stay healthy and contribute to goals scored for our team. But, quite honestly, I've said this from the beginning ? I'd give away every record, individual, that I've ever won for a world championship, and I think that Sincy would probably say the same thing.

"But it's cool, it's amazing to be alongside such a fantastic soccer player like her. She's the essence of the blue-collar worker, coming from a country who generally speaking hasn't competed well in the world championships."

Wambach didn't stop there. She also called Sinclair "the most underrated player in the whole world" and "probably the best all-around player."

This is a goal-scoring race flush with mutual respect.

"I actually think that mostly likely neither of us think about it too much," Sinclair said. "We both play on successful national teams, and we both play forward for that team, and we're expected to score goals. Usually when the U.S. or Canada is winning, it involves us scoring."

They have different playing styles. Wambach is always hanging around the goal, and has the best header in the women's game. Sinclair has been playing a more withdrawn position to give her more versatility on the attack.

Their personalities are different as well. Wambach has the gift of gab, while Sinclair is more of a reluctant star. For many years, she was just about the only reason to watch the Canadian women's team, although the talent around her has improved considerably in recent years.

"Canada is a very good side ? with the exception of Sinclair," Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar said. "She's in another world."

It seemed out of character when Sinclair appeared on a scoreboard video throughout the tournament proclaiming: "Some say I'm one of the best. But to be the best, you have to win something big."

She didn't write that script ? it was a video promoting Canadian soccer ? but she doesn't argue with the second sentence. Canada has been to World Cups and Olympic Games, but its best finish is a fourth at the 2003 World Cup.

"This is a team sport, where, yeah, individuals can do some great things and score some goals, but until your team actually wins or gets on the podium on whatever the case may be, it's hard to say that you're the best," Sinclair said. "It's at the point where we're all done with the participation, and we want to get something out of it."

First comes Sunday's little tussle with the Americans. This will be the 51st meeting between the countries. Canada has won only three. Five have been draws.

The rest? Well, suffice it to say the Americans have a world power for more than two decades, while Canada has been trying to catch up.

"They don't frighten us," Herdman said. "But they're a team that we'd love to tip over on home side. They don't come up here very often, and I hope the whole of Vancouver rock on and give us a hand beating the Americans."

___

Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

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

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46175534/ns/sports-olympic_sports/

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Afghanistan's Karzai in UK for talks with Cameron (AP)

LONDON ? Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Britain for talks with Prime Minister David Cameron, a day after France announced it would withdraw its troops a year earlier than the 2014 date agreed by NATO.

Cameron is due to meet Karzai at Chequers, the prime minister's country retreat outside London. Britain's Foreign Office said the meeting "is about long-term partnership and commitment beyond 2014 and the need for progress on the political track."

It is also sure to include the effects of the announcement by President Nicolas Sarkozy that French troops would speed up their withdrawal plans and leave the country by the end of next year, instead of by 2014.

Britain has about 9,500 troops in Afghanistan and says it plans to withdraw almost all of them by the end of 2014.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_afghanistan

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World's longest lab experiment still going strong, via webcam

In 1927, a physics professor named Thomas Parnell launched an experiment on viscous liquids. 85 years later, we're still waiting for his results. It all began with a funnel, a beaker, and some melted tar pitch. Parnell, a professor at the University of Queensland in Australia, was hoping to demonstrate that brittle tar pitch actually behaves as a liquid when kept at room temperature. To prove this, he melted some tar pitch, let it cool for three years, and placed it within the funnel, held over the beaker. The first drop rolled down the funnel eight years later. The second came nine years after that. By the time the third rolled around, Parnell had already passed away. Following his death, the experiment was shelved, quite literally, in a closet, before Professor John Mainstone revived it shortly after joining the University of Queensland in 1961. In 1975, Mainstone successfully lobbied the university to put the experiment on display, but he likely could've never imagined how large an audience it would ultimately have. Today, in fact, the experiment is on display 24 hours a day, via a dedicated webcam. It's been hailed as the world's longest running lab experiment, and it's available for gazing at the source link below. Mainstone expects the next drop to come down the pipeline sometime next year, but you probably shouldn't hold your breath. The last drop ran down the funnel in 2000. Unfortunately, it was never recorded on video, due to a very untimely camera malfunction.

World's longest lab experiment still going strong, via webcam originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/worlds-longest-lab-experiment-still-going-strong-via-webcam/

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Note to Gingrich: Our Problems Are Bigger Than the Moon (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | According to Space.com, Republican candidate Newt Gingrich is saying that, if elected president, he will see to it that the United States has a manned colony on the moon by 2020. He also said that commercial spaceflight would be bustling and a next-generation propulsion system will have the nation sending astronauts to Mars.

It all sounds very cool. Until you realize, of course, that there are massive problems here at home, not the least of which is the two opposing sides of the political field being unable to agree on anything. Not to be the Negative Nellie here, but as it stands, America can't approve a pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. America can't figure out if it wants government-mandated health care or not. America can't deal with immigration, it can't completely fund the services it's offering to its citizens and it can't pay its bills.

But the space program can pay for itself through commercial spaceflights. Really? First the government will have to come up with a series of regulations on the industry. Then it will have to sit through lawsuits, because you know there are going to be lawsuits. The BLM can't lease lands for oil and gas or solar facilities without lawsuits. Private companies can't build a nuclear plant without lawsuits. But we're going to load up a bunch of humans on a machine that is going to blast them to the atmospheric fringe of near-space using some sort of fuel and emitting who knows what, which will undoubtedly cause frightened animals and melted ice caps and more lawsuits.

American colonies on the moon? It's the wonderful, imaginative stuff of decades-worth of movies and books. But I just think there's enough here at home to worry about until at least 2020.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120128/pl_ac/10890215_note_to_gingrich_our_problems_are_bigger_than_the_moon

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Motorola Droid Razr Maxx available now: more battery, same shape

Kevlar-coated phones with a sprinkling of LTE sound like a pretty sweet proposition. Now the Droid Razr's been further sweetened by its new Maxx recast, and Motorola appears to be pretty darn proud of its bordering-on-tablet-territory 3,300mAh battery. Those yearning for a smartphone that'll last longer than daylight hours can hit up the source below -- Verizon's offering it up for $299 on contract, starting today.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx available now: more battery, same shape originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Russia to keep blocking UN sanctions on Syria (AP)

MOSCOW ? Russia is standing firm on blocking any U.N. sanctions against Syria, its longtime ally and a significant arms customer, saying that any resolution by the world body must exclude the possibility of international military involvement such as in Libya.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that U.N. approval for sanctions against Syria mirroring those by other nations would be "unfair and counterproductive."

The U.S., the European Union, the Arab League and Turkey all have introduced sanctions against Damascus in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad's violent crackdown on opponents. The uprising has left more than 5,400 people dead, according to the U.N. estimates.

The U.N. Security Council has been unable to agree on a resolution since the violence began in March because of strong opposition from Russia and China.

Russia, resistant to what it believes to be Western hegemony, characteristically opposes interventionism and the imposition of sanctions. This week, it harshly criticized new European Union sanctions against Iran regarding its nuclear program.

Lavrov said Russia's own draft of a U.N. resolution regarding Syria, which circulated earlier this month, remains on the table, and that Moscow is open for any "constructive proposals." The draft calls on all parties to stop the violence, citing the "disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities" and urging the Syrian government "to put an end to suppression of those exercising their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association."

But Western diplomats said the Russian proposal falls short of their demand for a strong condemnation of the Syrian regime's crackdown.

Lavrov affirmed that any U.N. resolution must say clearly it "couldn't be interpreted to justify any foreign military interference in the Syrian crisis."

"We believe that our approach is fair and well-balanced, unlike the attempts to pass one-sided resolutions that would condemn only one party and, by doing so, encourage another one to build up confrontation and take an uncompromising stance," Lavrov said after talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. "We have seen that in Libya, and we will not allow repetition of the Libyan scenario."

Russia abstained in the U.N. vote authorizing military intervention in Libya, but harshly criticized NATO for what it saw as an excessive use of force and civilian casualties during the NATO bombing campaign against Moammar Gadhafi's regime.

Rebels eventually overthrew Gadhafi with enormous military support from the Western alliance. NATO jets flew 26,000 sorties against Libya in 2011, destroying about 5,900 military targets.

Russian officials have strongly warned the West against emulating the Libyan strategy in Syria.

Lavrov called for a quick start of talks between the Syrian government and the opposition, suggesting they could be hosted by Egypt, the Arab League, Turkey or Russia.

Asked about the Arab League's call Sunday for a unity government in Syria in two months, Lavrov said Russia believes the talks between the Syrian government and the opposition should start without any preconditions.

"We proceed from the assumption that all participants in such dialogue would seek to reach accord and show responsibility for the fate of the country and its people," he said.

Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia have pulled out of the Arab League's observers mission in Syria, asking the U.N. Security Council to intervene. But such action is unlikely with Russia's opposition to sanctions.

Russia hosted some Syrian opposition leaders last fall, but its efforts to encourage them to sit down for talks with the government have brought no results.

Russia has been a strong ally of Syria since Soviet times, when Syria was led by the president's father, Hafez Assad. It has supplied Syria with aircraft, missiles, tanks and other heavy weapons. The 27-nation EU, in contrast, has imposed an arms embargo against Syria.

Earlier this month, a Russian ship allegedly carrying tons of munitions made a dash for Syria after telling officials in EU member Cyprus, where it had made an unexpected stop, that it was heading to Turkey. Turkish officials said the ship went instead to the Syrian port of Tartus.

Lavrov said last week that Moscow doesn't consider it necessary to offer an explanation or excuses over the incident, saying that Russia was acting in full respect of international law and wouldn't be guided by unilateral sanctions imposed by other nations.

On Monday, a top Russian business daily reported that Moscow had signed a $550 million contract to sell 36 Yak-130 combat jets to Syria. The Russian state arms-trading company declined comment.

Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine, said the deal represented an eleventh-hour attempt by Moscow to take advantage of its role of Syria's monopolist weapons supplier.

"Anticipating different possible scenarios, Russia is in a hurry to use the current status quo to pursue its commercial interests," Lukyanov told the AP. "It would be a good contract if Assad stays on."

He added that Russia realizes that its power is limited but has decided to back Assad, its last remaining ally in the region.

"An attempt to abruptly shift side and take a different stance in a hope to preserve some ground will be useless," he said. "Even if Russia now backs the Syrian opposition, the new authorities wouldn't need Russia anyway."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_syria

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Europe poses global recession threat: IMF (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Europe's debt crisis could tip the world economy into recession and a bigger firewall is urgently needed to keep the damage from spreading, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday.

The IMF chopped its estimate for 2012 global growth to 3.3 percent from 4 percent just three months ago and warned it could drop as low as 1.3 percent if Europe lets the crisis fester for much longer. For 2013, it predicted growth of 3.9 percent.

"The epicenter of the danger is Europe but the rest of the world is increasingly affected," IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard said at a news conference. "There is an even greater danger, namely that the European crisis intensifies, and in this case the world could be plunged into another recession."

"With the right set of measures, the worst can definitively be avoided and the recovery can be put back on track," he said. "These measures can be taken, need to be taken, and need to be taken urgently."

The IMF called for swift action from the 17-nation euro zone, which it said would likely see its economy contract this year by 0.5 percent.

"The most immediate policy challenge is to restore confidence and put an end to the crisis in the euro area by supporting growth while sustaining adjustment, containing deleveraging, and providing more liquidity and monetary accommodation," it said in its latest World Economic Outlook report.

Blanchard and other top IMF officials emphasized repeatedly that Europe needs to bolster its rescue funds to win market confidence and lower yields on sovereign bonds so that countries like Italy and Spain can borrow at affordable rates.

Talks between private bond holders and the Greek government have foundered, raising the risk Athens could face a messy default that would touch off a deeper crisis. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned on Monday that a failure to erect a larger wall against financial contagion could lead to a "1930s moment."

Jose Vinals, director of the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department, said it was important to both increase the size of the Europe's current 500 billion euro rescue fund and its flexibility.

In addition to helping countries it should be able to take direct stakes in troubled banks "to break the link between national sovereign risk and national banks," he said.

SUPPORT FOR GROWTH NEEDED

The IMF maintained its 1.8 percent growth forecast for the United States in 2012, but said a pick up in spending could be offset if the turmoil in Europe grew.

It also cut its projection for Japan to 1.7 percent from September's 2.3 percent and urged Tokyo to be more ambitious in reducing its debt and implementing a consumer tax.

Economic activity in advanced economies would expand by 1.5 percent on average in 2012 and 2013, too sluggish to make a major dent in high unemployment rates, the Fund said.

Emerging nations are also feeling the pinch.

The IMF projected growth in emerging economies to slow to 5.4 percent this year, down from 6.2 percent last year and well below the 6.1 percent forecast in September, and it called on them to focus policies on lifting growth.

It cut China's growth figure to 8.2 percent for 2012, down from 9.0 percent. Chinese growth should rebound to 8.8 percent in 2013, it added.

For fast-growing emerging Asia as a whole, the IMF reduced its growth outlook for 2012 to 7.3 percent from 8 percent.

Elsewhere, the IMF said growth in the Middle East and North Africa should accelerate, driven mainly by a recovery in Libya after a nine-month civil war ended with the capture and killing of leader Muammar Gaddafi in October.

Global oil prices are likely to ease slightly in 2012 despite slowing world growth, the IMF said, adding that its baseline oil price projection was broadly unchanged since September when it forecast $100 a barrel.

Non-oil commodity prices are set to fall by 14 percent this year, the IMF said, adding that risks to prices are to the downside for most commodities.

In Africa, the effects of the global slowdown is likely to be limited to South Africa, with the region as a whole expanding by around 5.5 percent this year, second fastest after Asia.

The largest impact of the slowdown would likely be felt in central and eastern Europe, which has strong trade links with the euro zone economies, the IMF said. It revised down its estimate for the region to 1.1 percent in 2012 from a previous forecast of 2.7 percent. Growth should edged up to 2.4 percent next year, the IMF added.

(Additional reporting by Glenn Somerville and Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Neil Stempleman, Tim Ahmann and Andrew Hay)

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

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Gingrich says Romney desperate, punching wildly

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Newt Gingrich is keeping up the heated tone of his debate exchanges with Mitt Romney, calling his Republican presidential rival a "desperate guy" throwing wild punches.

Gingrich on Tuesday said Romney was "outrageously dishonest" when he accused the former House speaker of lobbying for mortgage giant Freddie Mac. He noted that Romney himself was an investor in the government-backed mortgage companies. Gingrich told Fox News: "I don't own any Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stock. He does."

During Monday's debate, Romney called Gingrich an influence peddler who promoted the interests of Freddie Mac while it was contributing to the mortgage mess that led to the nation's foreclosure crisis.

Meanwhile, Rick Santorum, behind in the polls, says he's happy to let the race's leaders point out each other's "severe flaws."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-24-Gingrich/id-aab384c1b384431ca5f3cede6fe6a790

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Maldives asks UN help to resolve "judicial crisis" (AP)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka ? The Maldives asked the United Nations on Sunday to send a group of international jurists to resolve what it calls a judicial system failure that has resulted in the military's detention of a senior judge.

A government statement said Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem made the request in a letter to the office of the U.N High Commissioner for Human Rights.

President Mohamed Nasheed's government is under heavy pressure. Street protests have broken out in the capital Male following last week's arrest of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed after he ordered the release of a government critic.

Vice President Mohammed Waheed Hassan has also joined calls for the release of the judge, saying that he is ashamed by his government's action.

The government has accused Mohamed of corruption and political bias.

On Sunday, hundreds of protesters gathered in Male to demand the resignation of Nasheed and the release of the judge. Police used tear gas to break up the gathering, but protesters through the capital and demonstrated outside the homes of the president, home minister and police commissioner.

Naseem in his letter explained that the dispute with the criminal court judge was not an isolated incident but "represents a systemic failure of the judicial checks and balances foreseen in the constitution."

"This system failure led directly to the president's decision, as the ultimate guarantor of the constitution and of rule of law in the Maldives, to detain Justice Abdulla Mohamed," the statement said.

The Judicial Service Commission mandated by the constitution to examine the conduct of judges has failed in its responsibilities by not taking action on any of the 143 complaints it received in 2010 alone, the statement said.

Judge Mohamed remains in custody on an island the military uses for training in the Indian Ocean archipelago despite calls for his release by the country's Supreme Court and the prosecutor general. The Maldives human rights commission has also called the arrest unlawful.

Nasheed's critics say that his government is using the military and police to crack down on dissidents and intimidates the media from reporting on the dispute.

Both Nasheed and his deputy Waheed were leading pro-democracy campaigners before being elected to office in the country's first multiparty election in 2008.

Maldives is known for its idyllic resorts for upmarket tourists.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_re_as/as_maldives_politics

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Katy Perry Re-Releasing Teenage Dream With New Tunes

The Complete Confection will feature tracks that didn't make it on the original album.
By Jocelyn Vena

Katy Perry's <i>Teenage Dream</i>
Photo: Capitol Records

Katy Perry gave fans their Teenage Dream when she dropped the album back in 2010, and now fans should expect to experience a bit of déjà vu.

The singer will drop a re-release of the album on March 13. Playing up the album's sugary-sweet imagery, it will be called Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection. While little else is known about what will appear on the album, producer Tricky Stewart did shed some light on the project when he spoke to MTV News last fall. He teased that several tracks that didn't make the final cut for Teenage Dream were being reworked for this project.

"Katy and I went into [the studio] just to address some issues with records that we had done in the past that didn't end up going on Teenage Dream," he said in October. "So we are in the process of just listening and freshening up things and getting ready for something special she has going on."

While the track listing for the re-release is still unknown, Tricky did shed light on one particular song. "This song is really special. It's called 'Dressing Up,' so it's going to be a big record, I think," he said. "It definitely fits. It's right there in what her sensibilities are as a musician and a songwriter. She doesn't change much. She has a very keen musical taste. It'll be really good."

"We always knew that the records we created were special [and] at the time it was more contractual obligation [that they didn't make the record]," he added. "I can only have so many songs produced by me on the record. She didn't need to have extra songs at the same time."

In addition to the new album news, Katy tweeted about ending her California Dreams Tour over the weekend in Manila. She dedicated the last show to a fan who had committed suicide. "I hope you're finding peace up there on that pink cotton candy cloud. I dedicate this last show to u, sweet dreams angel #RIPKatyCatAllie," she tweeted.

Perry is expected to next appear at the Grammy Awards, where she is up for two awards.

Are you excited for the re-release of Teenage Dream? Sound off in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677702/katy-perry-teenage-dream-new-tunes.jhtml

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Libyans storm transitional government headquarters (AP)

BENGHAZI, Libya ? Hundreds of angry Libyans on Saturday stormed the transitional government's headquarters in the eastern city of Benghazi, carting off computers, chairs, and desks while the country's interim leader was still holed up in the building.

Libyans have grown increasingly frustrated with the pace and direction of reforms in the country more than three months after the end of the civil war that ousted longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Those concerns spurred residents in Benghazi, where the uprising against longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi broke out in February, to begin protests nearly two weeks ago to demand transparency and justice from the country's new leaders.

The melee at the National Transitional Council's headquarters began after protesters broke through the gates using hand grenades and streamed into the grounds of the headquarters. They banged on the building's doors and demanded officials meet with them.

In a bid to calm tensions, NTC chief Mustafa Abdul-Jalil tried to address the crowd from a second-floor window, but protesters began throwing bottles at him.

Protesters then torched Abdul-Jalil's armored Land Cruiser and broke into the headquarters itself, smashing windows to get inside and cart off furniture and electronics.

A security official in the building said a team of some 50 guards dressed as civilians were trying to calm the protesters.

The official, who served as a revolutionary commander during the civil war, said Abdul-Jalil was still in the building and was refusing to leave. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Some of the protesters pitched tents weeks ago outside the NTC's headquarters to protest a set of election laws they say were drafted by the interim leaders without consulting the public.

"The election laws have not been approved by thousands of Libyans and do not honor those who died for our freedom," said Tamer al-Jahani, a lawyer taking part in the protest. "We don't want to replace one tyrant with another."

The NTC is expected to soon pass the packet of laws, which specify how elections for a transitional parliament will be held. The council only took into account public suggestions through an online survey.

The NTC's handling of the draft laws has sparked criticism that the council is not living up to its democratic ideals.

Last week, NTC official Abdel-Hafiz Ghoga was assaulted in Benghazi by protesters angry at what they said is the NTC's lack of transparency.

Some demonstrators were demanding more rights for fighters wounded during the civil war.

Protester Ahmed Boras accused the NTC of sidelining anti-Gadhafi fighters.

"It seems to us that these people are no different than Gadhafi and they only speak the language of force," he said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_libya

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RIM's Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are out, new CEO Thorsten Heins may license BlackBerry 10

After months upon months of investor backlash, RIM's making some significant changes. And by "significant," we mean the co-chief executives (and founders) are out. As of tomorrow, both Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis will be stepping away from the top posts, enabling "a little-known company insider" to take over, according to The Wall Street Journal. Purportedly, this is all part of "a board and management shuffle," with COO Thorsten Heins (seen above) to step into what many expect to be an impossible role to thrive in. The Globe and Mail asserts that he'll be immediately seeking a Chief Marketing Officer to polish up the company's severely damaged brand, and he "will not rule out licensing RIM's new BlackBerry 10 operating system to other handset manufacturers." In an interview with the outlet, he stated that he'll be executing "flawlessly" and with vigor -- not unexpected, but still, bold words.

Startlingly, Heins also asserted that he's "confident" in the existing lineup of BlackBerry handsets and the software update recently made available for the PlayBook; call us crazy, but he'd be wise to just spout out reality and make clear that RIM's existing lineup is nowhere near competitive in the grand scheme of things. As for Mike and Jim? The former will become "vice-chair of the board with special duties to examine innovation," with the latter becoming a traditional director. In an interesting move, outgoing co-CEO Lazaridis stated the following: "I think it's that unwillingness to sacrifice our long-term value for short-term gain. That's why we didn't choose Android. That's why we decided to build the future on QNX." So wait, RIM had the chance to choose Android... and didn't? No time like the present to reach back and shake things up, Mr. Thorsten.

Continue reading RIM's Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are out, new CEO Thorsten Heins may license BlackBerry 10

RIM's Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are out, new CEO Thorsten Heins may license BlackBerry 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Peter Rojas (Twitter)  |  The Wall Street Journal (1), (2), The Globe and Mail, RIM  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/22/rim-ceo-quits/

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Investing Basics ? What Are Your Investment Targets ? ArticlePodcat ...

When it comes to investing, many first time traders need to jump right in with each feet. Unfortunately, only a few of these traders are successful. Investing in something requires some degree of skill. It is important to remember that few investments are a certain thing ? there is the danger of losing your cash!

Earlier than you bounce proper in, it?s better to not solely discover out extra about investing and the way it all works, but additionally to determine what your targets are. What do you hope to achieve together with your investments? Will you be funding a school training? Shopping for a home? Retiring? Before you invest a single penny, really think about what you hope to achieve with that investment. Realizing what your goal is will show you how to make smarter funding choices along the way!

Too typically, people make investments cash with desires of turning into rich overnight. This is attainable ? but it is also rare. It?s normally a very dangerous idea to begin investing with hopes of turning into wealthy overnight. It?s safer to invest your cash in such a method that it will grow slowly over time, and be used for retirement or a toddler?s education. However, if your investment aim is to get wealthy fast, you must be taught as a lot about excessive-yield, quick term investing as you probably can earlier than you invest.

It is best to strongly take into account talking to a financial planner earlier than making any investments. Your monetary planner may help you establish what kind of investing you must do to achieve the financial objectives that you?ve set. She or he can provide you realistic information as to what kind of returns you may expect and how lengthy it should take to succeed in your specific goals.

Once more, remember that investing requires more than calling a dealer and telling them that you simply need to purchase stocks or bonds. It takes a specific amount of analysis and data concerning the market in case you hope to invest successfully.

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(Phrases: 326)

If you want more data with respect to derivatives, swing by Judith R. Lipinghaz?s web page instantly.

Source: http://www.articlepodcat.com/2012/01/21/investing-basics-what-are-your-investment-targets/

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Chipotle Mexican Grill's Ancho Chile Marinade

Chipotle Mexican Gril

2 hr total 0 mins prep

• 2 oz dried ancho chiles or dried pepper of choice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/2 red onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 cuts of meat of choice, such as chicken or steak

• Soak dry chiles in water overnight or until soft. Discard water. Remove seeds.
• Add all ingredients except meat in food processor. Puree until smooth.
• Spread mixture over meat and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
• Heat grill to about 400 degrees, or if cooking inside heat small amount of oil in skillet or grill pan over high heat. Salt meat to taste. Grill meat about 4 minutes per side, depending upon thickness, until done.
• Serve with rice, black beans or choice of side dish. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Or serve in a burrito.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/19/chipotle-mexican-grills-_n_1217500.html

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Researchers find gene critical to sense of smell in fruit fly

Friday, January 20, 2012

Fruit flies don't have noses, but a huge part of their brains is dedicated to processing smells. Flies probably rely on the sense of smell more than any other sense for essential activities such as finding mates and avoiding danger.

UW-Madison researchers have discovered that a gene called distal-less is critical to the fly's ability to receive, process and respond to smells.

As reported in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists also found evidence that distal-less is important for generating and maintaining self-renewing stem cells in the large brain structure that's responsible for processing odors and carrying out other important duties.

The corresponding gene in mammals and humans, called Dlx, is known to be important in the sense of smell. The Dlx gene has also been implicated in autism and epilepsy. By studying how distal-less works in fruit fly neurons, the scientists also hope to expand understanding of Dlx.

"We're really interested in knowing at a very fundamental level what distal-less is doing in the fly olfactory system and how it's doing it," says senior author Dr. Grace Boekhoff-Falk, associate professor of cell and regenerative biology at the School of Medicine and Public Health. "We're also hoping that what we learn in flies can give us a better understanding of how Dlx works in vertebrates, including humans."

Studying distal-less is much easier than studying Dlx, she adds, partly because mice and humans have six Dlx genes while flies have only one distal-less.

Odors enter fruit flies through nerve cells designed to receive smells--olfactory receptor neurons. From receptor neurons, projection neurons relay olfactory information to the large brain structure called the mushroom body (MB), which then triggers the animals to move in the right direction?towards the fragrance of food, for example, or away from the odor of a predator.

Boekhoff-Falk and her group have studied distal-less (dll) for years, previously investigating its role in the fruit fly hearing system and its limb development.

The current studies of the olfactory system were done in larvae rather than the more typically studied adult flies. Dissecting the younger, smaller flies demands the steadiest of hands, but the payoff is that larvae offer a substantially simpler view of brain development and wiring as well as insights into events occurring extremely early in development.

The researchers found dll was required for the development and growth of multiple cell types in the olfactory system, including those that receive, relay and process olfactory information. Dll must work for normal olfactory behavior to occur in larvae. And when dll is defective, the sense of smell is not present.

Zeroing in on the MB, the UW researchers also discovered an essential relationship between dll and the longest-living and most prolific neural stem cells found in fruit flies.

Boekhoff-Falk's team found that in flies with a mutated version of dll, these neural stem cells failed to proliferate. No other scientists have observed such strong defects in these cells at such an early stage.

The scientists identified markers that will allow them to learn how the stem cells decide which specialized cells they will become and how their growth may be regulated.

"We want to identify the niche, or the stem cell microenvironment, and the cells there that supply growth inputs needed to keep the stem-ness of the cells," she says.

Boekhoff-Falk believes the parallels to human stem cell biology may be strong. "Our model may be useful for further analysis of how this gene regulates stem cells," she says.

The experiments also opened the door to a better understanding of the evolution of the sense of smell.

"The prevailing view is that fly and mammal olfactory systems evolved independently, multiple times over history," says Boekhoff-Falk, who has a long-standing interest in evolutionary biology. "But our work challenges that view. We think that when it comes to the olfactory system there may be a common ancestor shared by flies and mammals."

Earlier work by others had shown that the "wiring diagrams," or the arrangements of nerves, involved in olfaction in flies and mammals are similar. However, this was attributed to convergent evolution, the process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments, rather than shared ancestry.

The new work from Boekhoff-Falk's group suggests that the underlying genetic mechanisms used in the developing olfactory systems of flies and mammals are similar.

"This supports the idea that the last common ancestor already had some form of olfactory system," she says, "and that the overall architecture and key elements of the underlying genetics have been well conserved over time."

The long-shared similarity makes studies of fly genes in the olfactory system more relevant to human disease than previously thought, she says.

All told, the findings make the fruit fly a powerful model for investigating dll function.

"We think these studies have the potential to be highly relevant to human biology," says Boekhoff-Falk.

###

University of Wisconsin-Madison: http://www.wisc.edu

Thanks to University of Wisconsin-Madison for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116905/Researchers_find_gene_critical_to_sense_of_smell_in_fruit_fly

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Al Qaeda-linked magazine delivered to Guantanamo (Reuters)

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba, Jan 18 (Reuters) ? A copy of an al Qaeda-linked magazine was delivered to the Guantanamo detention camp for suspected terrorists, a military prosecutor revealed on Wednesday during a courtroom discussion of mail security.

The camp commander, Rear Admiral David Woods, issued orders last month tightening the screening of mail sent by lawyers to their clients at the camp that holds 171 captives on the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base in Cuba.

In a pretrial hearing for suspected al Qaeda bomber Abd al Rahim al Nashiri at the Guantanamo war crimes court on Tuesday, Woods testified that the new rules were necessary to prevent contraband from entering the camp, but he gave no specifics.

One of the prosecutors in Nashiri's case said in court on Wednesday that the old system had not worked.

"There was material getting in like Inspire magazine that should not have been getting in," said the prosecutor, Navy Commander Andrea Lockhart.

Inspire magazine bills itself as the publication of Yemeni-based group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and famously published an article titled, "Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom." The United States considers it a propaganda and recruitment vehicle for the group, and killed its editor in a drone strike in Yemen in September.

A Pentagon spokesman could not immediately provide details concerning the copy that wound up in Guantanamo.

Lockhart indicated it was sent by a civilian lawyer representing a detainee challenging his Guantanamo detention in the U.S. District Court in Washington. Those civilian "habeas corpus" cases are separate from the war crimes tribunals taking place in fits and starts at Guantanamo.

FAIR TRIAL RIGHTS?

Nashiri is the only prisoner currently facing charges in a tribunal, and his lawyer said he was not the one who received the Inspire magazine.

The 47-year-old Saudi citizen is accused of orchestrating the October 2000 attack that killed 17 U.S. sailors and injured dozens more aboard the USS Cole. Suicide bombers rammed a boat full of explosives into the side of the American warship while it refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden, blowing a huge hole in its side.

He could be executed if he is convicted of charges that include murder, attempted murder, conspiring with al Qaeda and attacking civilians.

Two days of pretrial hearings in his case this week focused partly on the mail restrictions that Woods imposed for the other 170 prisoners. Woods said teams of Pentagon contractors, who included lawyers, translators and former intelligence officers, reviewed the mail to ensure it did not contain physical or informational contraband. Under his rules, the screeners divided mail into three categories.

Nashiri's lawyers argued that in order to carry out that task, the screeners had to read confidential legal mail. They said submitting case-related documents under that system would force them to illegally disclose trial strategy, violating Nashiri's right to a fair trial. They said it was also an ethical violation that potentially could put their own law licenses in jeopardy.

The judge in the case, Army Colonel James Pohl, heard arguments from both sides and said he would issue an order in a couple of weeks outlining procedures for the handling of Nashiri's legal mail.

Nashiri was captured in Dubai in 2002 and held in secret CIA custody until his transfer to Guantanamo in 2006. Prosecutors hope to start his trial by March 2013 at the latest. The defense said it would not be ready before March 2015, in part because it hopes to receive about 570,000 pages of evidence, some of which must be translated and some of which requires special handling because it is secret.

The long wait for the start of the trial and the focus on Nashiri's rights was frustrating for families of the sailors killed aboard the Cole more than 11 years ago. Two sailors who survived the attack traveled to Guantanamo to attend the hearing, as did relatives of three sailors killed on the ship.

"Justice is slow, very slow," said 68-year-old Jesse Nieto, whose son Marc Nieto died in the blast. "I just hope that I'll be able to see and be alive when the outcome resolves itself."

Oliva Rux, whose husband Kevin Rux died aboard the Cole, said, "I have nothing but time to wait, to wait until that detainee takes his last breath."

(Editing by Kevin Gray and Paul Simao)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/ts_nm/us_usa_guantanamo

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GOP field leaves SC's religious right uninspired (AP)

GREENVILLE, S.C. ? The Greenville-Spartanburg area, home to many of South Carolina's evangelical voters, should be prime political ground for Rick Santorum, a longtime anti-abortion crusader who was embraced by a group of Christian leaders meeting last weekend in Texas.

Or perhaps for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who led more than 30,000 people in prayer in Houston last August. Or maybe for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who talks forcefully of his conversion to Catholicism and his hope for redemption for past sins, including infidelity.

Yet none of these candidates seems to have captivated this area's religious conservatives ahead of Saturday's Republican presidential primary. That may help explain why former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Mormon and former abortion-rights supporter, appears to be doing reasonably well, although politicians warn that the game isn't over.

South Carolina's religious conservatives are deeply worried about the country, and thoroughly convinced that President Barack Obama must go. But in interviews this week at several religious and political events, nearly all GOP voters expressed greater interest in God and the Christian community than in politicians and government. They exhibited only the vaguest hopes that this year's elections will make a real difference.

"I'm concerned that we don't have anyone that can fix this problem," said Charlie Davis of Anderson, who carried a Bible into a prayer gathering that drew about 400 people to Greenville Tuesday night.

Like virtually everyone interviewed in the region, Davis, a 30-year-old elementary school physical education teacher, said he will vote Saturday. And like virtually all the others, he said he was undecided, and he showed little enthusiasm for anyone.

"I am standing back, watching," said Dan Benham, 67, who also attended the prayer gathering, called "The Response."

"I'm concerned about life in America," he said, especially what he sees as an epidemic of abortions.

All the GOP candidates oppose legalized abortion, and Santorum is especially forceful on the issue. So it would seem that Benham, who owns a small auto parts assembly company, has a wealth of choices.

But when nudged on how democracy might improve the nation, Benham said: "I'm here to pray. I'm looking to ask the Lord."

Even Perry, the only candidate to address the prayer group, suggested that elections are not the answer. The nation's hope, he said, "is not in government. That hope is in a loving God."

God's agenda, Perry told the crowd of 400, "is not a political agenda. He's smarter than that."

Organizers of "The Response" also seemed ambivalent about the proper role of religion and politics. They invited all the candidates to speak, and encouraged political reporters to attend.

But David Sliker of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City told the audience: "America's solution isn't coming through a politically brilliant idea. It's going to come through the righteousness of its people."

He said people should tell God "you're the leader we want."

Interviews with two dozen GOP voters over two days in no way constitute a scientific survey. But they give a flavor of political conversations in the campaign's final days here in the home of the fundamental Christian Bob Jones University.

Time after time, religious conservatives expressed alarm and sadness at what they see as the country's drift from righteousness and from taking responsibility for one's self and one's neighbors. Yet almost no one was able to point to a presidential candidate with enthusiasm.

"I'm hoping that whoever is in power will be the one that Jesus wants," said Andrew Ratchford, 23, who studied political science in college and knows the campaign issues well.

Tian Ware, 45, of Prosperity, S.C., went to see Santorum on Wednesday at the Beacon Drive-In restaurant, a Spartanburg landmark.

She might vote for him, she said. Or maybe Gingrich. Ware said she would make her decision "on just a feeling. I get feelings about people."

She likes Perry, she said, but feels he cannot win. If Ware, who has three grandchildren, is lukewarm about the candidates, she is passionate about the issues.

"I'm offended that my children couldn't pray in public schools if they wanted to," she said. "If I say `Oh my God' in front of the wrong person, I'll get arrested."

Standing nearby was Jim McCabe, who recently retired as chief information officer for Milliken, a major textile and chemical company. "I just came to see," he said of Santorum. "I'm not really pleased with any of them."

McCabe said he wants "an alternative to Mitt Romney," and probably will vote for Gingrich or Santorum. He sounded underwhelmed.

McCabe and Ware are the type of socially conservative voters that one of Romney's rivals needs to inspire, excite, set on fire. In exit polls from the 2008 South Carolina GOP primary, 60 percent of voters said they were evangelical.

Rep. Ron Paul doesn't play well with these voters, largely because they see him as unwilling to defend Israel, a land that holds special meaning to many devout Christians. That leaves Santorum, Gingrich and Perry, all of whom can make legitimate arguments to the Christian right.

And they have tried. All three, for example, attended an anti-abortion forum Wednesday in Greenville, declaring their conviction that human life begins at conception.

Santorum, who endeared himself to many Christian activists in Iowa, seemed to catch a big break last week. A loose-knit group of prominent social conservatives voted in Texas to back him as the best alternative to Romney.

In this week's interviews with Greenville-Spartanburg Republicans, however, no one mentioned the event.

Gingrich, meanwhile, seemed to get a bump from Monday's debate in Myrtle Beach, according to polls and anecdotal evidence. But if there was a rising tide for Gingrich in the Spartanburg-Greenville region, it wasn't obvious.

"I'm very concerned about this country," said Blaine Nuckolls, 71, a retired police officer who lives in Greenville. "We need leadership, starting at the top," he said.

He said he's trying to decide between Perry and Santorum. Nuckolls said he likes Gingrich, "but I don't think he's got enough backing to get elected."

Bill Campbell, a retired minister from Greenville, said he fears for the nation's future. Americans are crushing future generations with federal debt, he said.

"Most candidates seem not to have a grasp on how serious it is," Campbell said. Paul comes closest, he said, although he hasn't ruled out Santorum or Perry.

"Gingrich is interesting, but too insiderish," Campbell said, and Romney is far too establishment.

"We need someone to make big waves in Washington," Campbell said. He stared solemnly. He didn't look optimistic.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_el_pr/us_south_carolina_conservatives

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