Sexual healing? Not likely

Monday, January 30, 2012

A new study shows the production of sperm is more biologically taxing than previously thought, and expending energy on it has significant health implications.

In research published in PLoS ONE, Dr Damian Dowling of Monash University's School of Biological Sciences and Professor Leigh Simmons of the University of Western Australia have investigated the trade-off between sperm quality and immunity.

The researchers used the Australian cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus to prove that the production of quality sperm is expensive and males are strategic about investing energy in the biological process.

Dr Dowling said investigations into life history trade-offs - investment in reproduction versus future reproduction and survival prospects - have historically focused on females.

"This study challenges the traditional view that sex, and sperm production, come cheaply to males. It is typically thought that females must invest heavily into reproduction, whereas males can freely produce millions of high-quality, tiny sperm on demand, with few costs," Dr Dowling said.

"Here we show that the costs are in fact large, and these costs dictate how much effort a male will devote into any given sexual encounter."

The crickets were housed either with sexually immature females, sexually mature females incapable of reproduction, or sexually mature females capable of reproduction. Sperm quality was measured twice and immune function once during the experiment.

Dr Dowling said the male crickets were more likely to produce high quality sperm when housed with sexually mature females with whom they could mate, indicating a strategic investment of energy.

The researchers also found that production of quality sperm appeared to have a negative effect on the crickets' immune systems.

"Males that invested heavily in their sperm paid the price of being more likely to succumb to a bacterial infection. And we are not talking about STDs here - we are talking about how increased investment into the quality of the ejaculate corresponds with general reductions in immune function," Dr Dowling said.

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Monash University: http://www.monash.edu.au

Thanks to Monash University for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117174/Sexual_healing__Not_likely

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8 Killer iOS Apps That Shined at Macworld 2012

At this year's Macworld | iWorld event, iOS apps took center stage -- which wasn't hard for a trade show of ever-diminishing relevance. We checked out the action, and here are our picks for the apps you need to know about most.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/2AEKLACNeQA/

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Study Shows That The Location Of The Itch Matters

By Christie Nicholson
(Click here for the original article and podcast)

Itch. Past studies have shown that whatever the cause?perhaps just hearing me talk about itch?something triggers nerve fibers that send a signal lighting up three areas of the brain: the emotional regions; the limbic system that sparks the urge to scratch; and the cortex that tells you where to scratch.

And recently researchers discovered that where the itch begins can predict how bad it is?and how much pleasure you?ll get by scratching it. The study is in the British Journal of Dermatology. ?

The researchers induced an itch on the ankles, forearms and backs of 18 subjects. And the research team also relieved the itch in a uniform way with a scratching device, rather than let each subject go to town in different and unmeasureable ways.

The results: The experimentally induced itch was particularly bad on the back and ankle. And scratching the back got rid of the itch most effectively. But scratching the ankle provided the most pleasurable relief.

So not all itches are created equal, even if they?re induced equally. The next steps are to find out why, and whether there is a treatment that can match the pleasure of the scratch.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/29/location-itch-scratch_n_1240459.html

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911 call reveals frantic efforts to help Moore

Demi Moore arrives at Variety's 3rd Annual Power of Women Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif., in this Sept. 23, 2011 photo. A 911 recording released Friday Jan. 27, 2012 by Los Angeles fire officials revealed frantic efforts by friends of Demi Moore to get help for the actress who was convulsing as they gathered around her and tried to comfort her. Moore was "semi-conscious, barely," according to a female caller on the recording. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Demi Moore arrives at Variety's 3rd Annual Power of Women Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif., in this Sept. 23, 2011 photo. A 911 recording released Friday Jan. 27, 2012 by Los Angeles fire officials revealed frantic efforts by friends of Demi Moore to get help for the actress who was convulsing as they gathered around her and tried to comfort her. Moore was "semi-conscious, barely," according to a female caller on the recording. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

(AP) ? A 911 recording revealed frantic efforts by friends of Demi Moore to get help for the actress who was convulsing as they gathered around her and tried to comfort her.

Moore was "semi-conscious, barely," according to a female caller on the recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.

The woman tells emergency operators that Moore, 49, had smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and that she had been "having issues lately."

"Is she breathing normal?" the operator asks.

"No, not so normal. More kind of shaking, convulsing, burning up," the friend says as she hurries to Moore's side, on the edge of panic.

Another woman is next to Moore as the dispatcher asks if she's responsive.

"Demi, can you hear me?" she asks. "Yes, she's squeezing hands. ... She can't speak."

When the operator asks what Moore ingested or smoked, the friend replies, but the answer was redacted.

Asked if Moore took the substance intentionally or not, the woman says Moore ingested it on purpose but the reaction was accidental.

"Whatever she took, make sure you have it out for the paramedics," the operator says.

The operator asks the friend if this has happened before.

"I don't know," she says. "There's been some stuff recently that we're all just finding out."

Moore's publicist, Carrie Gordon, said previously that the actress sought professional help to treat her exhaustion and improve her health. She would not comment further on the emergency call or provide details about the nature or location of Moore's treatment.

The past few months have been rocky for Moore.

She released a statement in November announcing she had decided to end her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, 33, following news of alleged infidelity. The two were known to publicly share their affection for one another via Twitter.

Moore still has a Twitter account under the name mrskutcher but has not posted any messages since Jan. 7.

Meanwhile, Millennium Films announced Friday that Sarah Jessica Parker will replace Moore in the role of feminist Gloria Steinem in its production of "Lovelace," a biopic about the late porn star Linda Lovelace. A statement gave no reason for the change. The production, starring Amanda Seyfried, has been shooting in Los Angeles since Dec. 20.

During the call, the woman caller says the group of friends had turned Moore's head to the side and was holding her down. The dispatcher tells her not to hold her down but to wipe her mouth and nose and watch her closely until paramedics arrive.

"Make sure that we keep an airway open," the dispatcher says. "Even if she passes out completely, that's OK. Stay right with her."

The phone is passed around by four people, including a woman who gives directions to the gate and another who recounts details about what Moore smoked or ingested. Finally, the phone is given to a man named James, so one of the women can hold Moore's head.

There was some confusion at the beginning of the call. The emergency response was delayed by nearly two minutes as Los Angeles and Beverly Hills dispatchers sorted out which city had jurisdiction over the street where Moore lives.

As the call is transferred to Beverly Hills, the frantic woman at Moore's house raises her voice and said, "Why is an ambulance not on its way right now?"

"Ma'am, instead of arguing with me why an ambulance is not on the way, can you spell (the street name) for me?" the Beverly Hills dispatcher says.

Although the estate is located in the 90210 ZIP code above Benedict Canyon, the response was eventually handled by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

By the end of the call, Moore has improved.

"She seems to have calmed down now. She's speaking," the male caller told the operator.

Moore and Kutcher were wed in September 2005.

Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore's three daughters ? Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle ? from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly.

Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films "Margin Call" and "Another Happy Day." Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV's "Two and a Half Men" and is part of the ensemble film "New Year's Eve."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-28-People-Demi%20Moore/id-f8df779117d14f14be66bbb28d422eaa

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Army chief lays out Army cuts in Europe (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Pentagon's decision announced Friday to take two heavy armor brigades out of Europe in 2013 and 2014 will not necessarily force NATO allies to shoulder more of the load if ground forces are needed for a large-scale conflict in the region, Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army chief of staff, said Friday.

Odierno said the military will work hard to mitigate the impact of the shift on European allies, who rely heavily on U.S. military might to provide the bulk of the forces in a ground campaign.

The move to shift brigades out of Europe is part of a broader Pentagon plan to cut the size of the Army by 80,000 soldiers and restructure the service to ensure the military has the capabilities it needs to go to war. Odierno said the mandate to reduce the force from 570,000 soldiers during the height of the Iraq war to 490,000 by 2017 will force the military to rely more on the National Guard and reserves, particularly if the U.S. gets into two major, long-term combat operations at the same time.

Odierno said he is comfortable with the reduction in the force. But he suggested that the U.S. will now have to keep its reserve forces at a higher level of readiness than it did before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pressed tens of thousands citizen soldiers into service to buttress the active duty Army.

He also said his support for the force cuts hinges on the fact that the Army will have more than five years to make the reductions, largely through normal attrition. He acknowledged, however, that a small number of officers may have to be forced to leave.

As the Iraq war dragged on, the Pentagon had to recruit thousands of additional active duty soldiers and beef up and repeatedly tap reserve brigades in order to meet the combat demands there and in Afghanistan. For roughly eight years, the U.S. battled in both countries at the same time, stretching and straining the Army.

Meeting that type of commitment with an Army of 490,000 would not work, Odierno said.

"Do I have the capability to go into Korea and meet the requirements? Yes," he said, when asked about the risks of a smaller force. "Do I have the ability to stay there for 10 years? No."

If the military had to fight two large, simultaneous, long-term wars, he said, the U.S. would rely more heavily on its allies in the region and call for a massive mobilization of the reserves.

"Because of the fact that they (Guard and reserves) have been involved in combat operations for very long period of time, we are going to come up with a readiness model that will keep them at a little bit higher level than they have been in the past," Odierno told reporters during an interview in his Pentagon office. And if needed, he said, the U.S. would use reserves to "buy us time to increase the active component" to wage two large, intensive wars.

NATO allies have long relied on the U.S. ground forces to wage such conflicts, so cutting the European-based force in half will be met with reservations from those leaders.

But one senior defense official said the U.S. is working on a variety of options to compensate for the loss. Those could include further U.S. commitments to NATO's rapid response force, which includes up to 25,000 forces provided by the allies. There also will likely be additional multinational military exercises. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the details have not been finalized.

Odierno said the two brigades being taken out of Europe ? both heavy armor units ? will be eliminated rather than reassigned somewhere in the United States. Both are based in Germany ? the 172nd Infantry Brigade, currently in Grafenwoehr, and the 170th Infantry Brigade in Baumholder. That will leave two U.S. Army combat brigades permanently stationed in Europe, one in Germany and one in Italy.

Baumholder Mayor Peter Lang noted that the German military ? which did away with conscription last year and is downsizing significantly ? is closing two barracks in the area already.

"This is a second tough blow for our region," he told the dapd news agency. The Rhineland-Palatinate state interior minister, Roger Lewentz, said he was holding out hope, however, that the U.S. troops may not leave the area entirely, saying he planned a trip in May to Washington, where he would lobby for at least some logistical facilities to remain open

"In reality, I think in the long run this will benefit all of us," Odierno told reporters. He said U.S. Army units will be rotated in and out of Europe based on the training and other needs of the NATO partners. That system, he said, will allow more U.S. units to work with the allies and "we will be able to tailor our engagements based on their needs."

Over the long-term, U.S. officials said they are planning to slash the number of combat brigades from 45 to possibly as low as 32. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss planning. Odierno said eight brigades will be shelved over the next several years, and officials will decide in the next six months or so if additional units should go.

Officials said the changes will likely increase the size of each combat brigade ? generally by adding another battalion ? in a long-term effort to ensure that those remaining brigades are robust and able to perform their missions without straining the force.

A brigade is usually about 3,500 soldiers but can be as large as 5,000 for the heavily armored units. A battalion is usually between 600 and 800 soldiers.

"We will make our brigades more capable to operate across missions, will eliminate unnecessary overhead, and allow us to sustain more combat capability if we do this right," said Odierno, who did not provide any details about the restructuring.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_army_cuts

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Ryan Holmes: Turning Your Passion Into Your Position: Social Media for the New Job Market

Amongst high unemployment rates, a competitive job market and a shrinking global economy, the emerging social media industry only continues to grow. One of the newest positions for companies to adopt is the role of a social media manager -- and it's in high demand.

Social media job listings have increased 75% from 2010 according to Monster.com, with more than 10,000 jobs being posted each month requiring digital and social media skills. However, it's not just the independent manager and consulting positions that are now heavily sought after.

A social media skill set is valuable to anyone entering the job market or looking for career advancement, as August 2011 saw a 94% increase in jobs that required social media knowledge over the same month last year, according to WANTED Analytics. But is everyone who uses Twitter or Facebook a pro? Not even close.

The Myth of the Digital Native

"Using digital and social media to connect with friends and family is worlds apart from the professional social skills, digital brand savvy, and integrated marketing strategic thinking demanded by employers today," said Dr. William J. Ward, a social media professor at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, who is known on Twitter as @DR4WARD.

So if using social media strategically for business is different than personal use, how do you learn these skills to get ahead in your career?

Certification programs for social media are blossoming as a response to the demand for more social media training. Both industry professionals and recent graduates are tapping into tactical training programs to help them stay up to date as the industry grows.

There's no better time for individuals to invest in their professional development than now, with tens of thousands of opportunities for those with the right digital and social media skills. Yet, for every one job opening, there remain four individuals who are unemployed. Why is that?

Employer Challenges

Social media is the future, with employers recognizing they need to start hiring people with the right skills. However, a Manpower Group study shows that over 52% of companies are finding difficulty filling positions, due to a lack of "hard" technical job skills from candidates.

While social media skills were once a "nice-to-have," accreditation in the space is becoming a requirement for many of these job titles. Hiring managers and job seekers are realizing that printing stacks of resumes is turning passe, and social media is rising as the new way of generating real-time networking opportunities.

While hiring managers attempt to determine a candidate's social media experience, the biggest struggle they encounter is knowing which of the candidates that claim they're "social media experts" or "consultants," actually are. How can they determine credibility and ascertain their level of skill with certain social media tools?

To say that you've completed training is to admit you've finished learning. And in a space that changes as quickly as this, you've already fallen behind.

Candidate Challenges

Dr. Ward insists that it is up to employees to be proactive with their social media training. "Mastery of the digital and social media skills needed for the future will be beneficial to those looking to find a job and for employers looking to fill these positions today and tomorrow," he said.

Dr. Ward agrees with the 4A's and Arnold Worldwide March 2011 study that found "higher education is failing to prepare students with the needed digital and social skill set in any meaningful way, yet at the same time -- employers are failing to train their own employees. 90% of employers provide no training to staff, and 50% of talent feel under-trained."

Individuals that demonstrate their expertise through professional social media training programs not only have a way of differentiating themselves from their peers, they feel the confidence that comes with credibility.

Social Media Education

By staying ahead of peers, forward-thinking individuals take part in personal development opportunities, one of which is offered through HootSuite University. "The value of Hootsuite University has been immeasurable for us, as it keeps our services above the rest in performance and productivity," said Bonnie Cranmer, a Business Marketing Strategist at New Media Strategy Team and a recent graduate of the program.

HootSuite's Certified Professional Program doesn't break the bank either, offering graduating students the ability to continually develop with new courseware releases. Their video-based learning modules educate students on how new announcements, such as Facebook Timeline, may impact their business' social media activity.

Working for many years in nonprofit and tourism, Cranmer understood the importance of communicating with her customers using social media. When deciding to further her social media education, Cranmer's primary goal was to provide her customers with the most comprehensive level of service. Staying up to date with constantly evolving world of social media can be a challenge, but certification programs like HootSuite University are looking to change that.

Besides offering accreditation in social media through courses and tests, there is a constantly updated library of webinars, called Lecture Series, from top educators in the industry. These social media leaders teach students tactical, hands on strategy for leveraging their business with the latest feature releases.

When it comes to personal development for 2012, perhaps Dr. Seuss said it best: "Oh, the things you can find, if you don't stay behind!" Having the ability to keep up in this rapidly-moving space is a vital skill set, and education is the easiest way to turn your passion into your position, now.

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Follow Ryan Holmes on Twitter: www.twitter.com/invoker

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-holmes/social-media-jobs_b_1235895.html

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Investing In Mutual Funds For Growth | Mutual Funds

investing in mutual fundsNo matter how much money you have investing in mutual funds can be a daunting experience when starting out. There are tens of thousands of funds available to choose from. A visit to a professional financial planner for the person who is completely unknowledgeable about investing would be a good place to begin. There are, as well, many resources online to help a person define what kind of investor they are which can help guide your initial thinking.

But, before choosing any one or two funds to invest in, it is important to consider the tax implications for investing. Generally speaking, mutual fund investments are long-term affairs, so putting the invested funds in a tax-deferred retirement account of some form is a good idea. Tax laws vary by country, so it is up to you to decide what your best course of action is. A visit with a local financial consultant I recommended.

Many mutual funds have a minimum amount to open a position with them. $2500 is a common minimum investment. Some companies will waive their minimum initial investment if you agree to regular monthly contributions to the fund. T Rowe Price, for example, has mutual funds with a $1000 minimum that they will waive for a minimum $50 per month regular contribution.

Once you have narrowed down the field to a number of funds that fit your investing profile one can easily begin doing comparison shopping. Morningstar makes their business rating and comparing mutual funds of all shapes and sizes assessing a fund?s strengths along a variety of factors: Rate of Return, Expenses, Total Assets, NAV, etc.

Even though investing in mutual funds creates instant diversity for your portfolio, it does not ensure success. As many funds are sector-specific as the economics of that sector change so will the performance of the fund. So it is important to review your funds? performance relative to an index that most closely tracks the funds asset. For example, if you are invested in oil services mutual funds comparing the performance of the fund versus the XOI index will tell you whether the fund is outperforming the general market or not.

The mutual funds manager?s goal is to always beat the passive rate of return of the general market, generally the S&P 500, in the U.S. That is their first line of advertising. This is fine if you are investing in an Big Cap Equity Fund, but not applicable to a real estate fund. Looking beyond that to the mutual funds performance vis a vis the sector the fund is a proxy for will tell you just how up to speed the management of the fund is with current events in their area of expertise.

No related posts.

About Pete Southern

Pete is an active investor with knowledge of all sectors but his first love are IPO's. A failed day trader who now understands research. A love of economics and writing seen Pete begin to publish content for various finance blogs. Our main editor and collator of contributions, he is your point of contact via editorial at stockpricetoday.com

Source: http://www.stockpricetoday.com/mutual-funds/investing-in-mutual-funds-for-growth/

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Bugging equipment found in Mexico lawmaker offices (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? A search of several Mexican lawmakers' offices turned up recording equipment, leading legislators to believe they have been spied on for years, a congressman said Wednesday.

Congressman Armando Rios said security personnel found microphones and other devices that seemed to have been installed years ago.

"Some of the equipment has newer technology, but other devices are from a long time ago, which leads us to believe they were installed years ago," said Rios, a member of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD.

Rios said the offices of key committees and of several lawmakers from different political parties were bugged.

"What is at stake is the vulnerability of the legislature, of one of the powers of the union," Rios said.

Congress president Guadalupe Acosta, also of the PRD, on Tuesday filed a complaint with federal prosecutors, who opened an investigation.

Acosta wouldn't identify the lawmakers who were being spied on or who he thinks was behind the espionage. Rios blamed the government of President Felipe Calderon, who belongs to the conservative National Action Party, or PAN.

Interior Secretary Alejandro Poire denied Rios' accusations and said the government has done nothing illegal.

Mexico's main intelligence agency allegedly spied on the government's political opponents during the 71 years of rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI.

After PAN candidate Vicente Fox won the 2000 presidential election, he announced that the agency, the Center for National Security and Investigation, would no longer spy on political opponents. But in 2008, under Calderon, the agency hired a private company to monitor the activities of legislators.

Legislators complained they were being spied on but the government said it was simply collecting public information.

Several secretly recorded telephone conversations of government officials or politicians have been made public in Mexico in the last few years.

In 2006, the former governor of Puebla state, Mario Marin, was implicated in a revenge plot against a journalist after Mexican news media released a recorded telephone conversation. In it, he allegedly speaks with a businessman about punishing Lydia Cacho, who had written a book that accuses one of their acquaintances of being a child molester.

In 2010, a radio station broadcast a telephone conversation between then federal lawmaker Cesar Godoy and alleged drug trafficker Servando Gomez, known as "La Tuta." In it, Godoy and Gomez express support for each other and discuss bribing a reporter.

Shortly after the recording was released, Godoy, who is now a fugitive, was charged with aiding drug trafficking and money laundering.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mexico/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_lawmakers_espionage

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In State of the Union, Obama Says American Dream in Peril (Time.com)

(WASHINGTON) -- Declaring the American dream under siege, President Barack Obama called Tuesday night for a flurry of help for a hurting middle class and higher taxes on millionaires, delivering a State of the Union address packed with re-election themes. Restoring a fair shot for all, Obama said, is "the defining issue of our time."

Obama outlined a vastly different vision for fixing the country than the one pressed by the Republicans challenging him in Congress and fighting to take his job in the November election. He pleaded for an active government that ensures economic fairness for everyone, just as his opponents demand that the government back off and let the free market rule.

Obama offered steps to help students afford college, a plan for more struggling homeowners to refinance their homes and tax cuts for manufacturers. He threw in politically appealing references to accountability, including warning universities they will lose federal aid if they don't stop tuition from soaring. (More on what the government could do to help housing.)

Standing in front of a divided Congress, with bleak hope this election year for much of his legislative agenda, Obama spoke with voters in mind.

"We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by," Obama said. "Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules."

A rare wave of unity splashed over the House chamber at the start. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, survivor of an assassination attempt one year ago, received sustained applause from her peers and cheers of "Gabby, Gabby, Gabby." She blew a kiss to the podium. Obama embraced her.

Lawmakers leapt to their feet when Obama said near the start of his speech that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, killed by a raid authorized by the president, will no longer threaten America.

At the core of Obama's address was the improving but deeply wounded economy -- the matter still driving Americans' anxiety and the one likely to determine the next presidency.

"The state of our union is getting stronger," Obama said, calibrating his words as millions remain unemployed. Implicit in his declaration that the American dream is "within our reach" was the recognition that, after three years of an Obama presidency, the country is not there yet. (More on Obama's refinance program.)

He spoke of restoring basic goals: owning a home, earning enough to raise a family, putting a little money away for retirement.

"We can do this," Obama said. "I know we can." He said Americans are convinced that "Washington is broken," but he also said it wasn't too late to cooperate on important matters.

Republicans were not impressed. They applauded infrequently, though they did cheer when the president quoted "Republican Abraham Lincoln" as saying: "That government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves -- and no more."

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, offering the formal GOP response, called Obama's policies "pro-poverty" and his tactics divisive.

"No feature of the Obama presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others," Daniels said in excerpts released before the address.

In a signature swipe at the nation's growing income gap, Obama called for a new minimum tax rate of at least 30 percent on anyone making over $1 million. Many millionaires -- including one of his chief rivals, Republican Mitt Romney -- pay a rate less than that because they get most of their income from investments, which are taxed at a lower rate.

"Now you can call this class warfare all you want," Obama said, responding to a frequent criticism from the GOP presidential field. "But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense."

Obama calls this the "Buffett rule," named for billionaire Warren Buffett, who has said it's unfair that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does. Emphasizing the point, Buffett's secretary, Debbie Bosanek, attended the address in first lady Michelle Obama's box.

Obama underlined every proposal with the idea that hard work and responsibility still count. He was targeting independent voters who helped seal his election in 2008 and the frustrated masses in a nation pessimistic about its course.

In a flag-waving defense of American power and influence abroad, Obama said the U.S. will safeguard its own security "against those who threaten our citizens, our friends and our interests." On Iran, he said that while all options are on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon -- an implied threat to use military force -- "a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible."

With Congress almost universally held in low regard, Obama went after an easy target in calling for reforms to keep legislators from engaging in insider trading and holding them to the same conflict-of-interest standards as those that apply to the executive branch.

With the foreclosure crisis on ongoing sore spot despite a number of administration housing initiatives over the past three years, Obama proposed a new program to allow homeowners with privately held mortgages to refinance at lower interest rates. Administration officials offered few details but estimated savings at $3,000 a year for average borrowers.

Obama proposed steps to crack down on fraud in the financial sector and mortgage industry, with a Financial Crimes Unit to monitor bankers and financial service professionals, and a separate special unit of federal prosecutors and state attorneys general to expand investigations into abusive lending that led to the housing crisis.

At a time of tight federal budgets and heavy national debt, Obama found a ready source of money to finance his ideas: He proposed to devote half of the money no longer being spent on the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan to "do some nation-building right here at home," to help create more jobs and increase competitiveness. The other half, he said, would go to help pay down the national debt.

Obama also offered a defense of regulations that protect the American consumer -- regulations often criticized by Republicans as job-killing obstacles.

"Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same," Obama said. "It's time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody."

Obama will follow up Tuesday night's address with a three-day tour of five states key to his re-election bid. On Wednesday he'll visit Iowa and Arizona to promote ideas to boost American manufacturing; on Thursday in Nevada and Colorado he'll discuss energy, and in Michigan on Friday he'll talk about college affordability, education and training.

Polling shows Americans are divided about Obama's overall job performance but unsatisfied with his handling of the economy.

The speech Tuesday night comes just one week before the Florida Republican primary that could help set the trajectory for the rest of the race.

Romney, caught up in a tight contest with a resurgent Newt Gingrich, commented in advance to Obama's speech.

"Tonight will mark another chapter in the misguided policies of the last three years -- and the failed leadership of one man," Romney said from Florida.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20120124/us_time/08599210529100

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Iran's Ahmadinejad ups rates to stem money crisis (Reuters)

TEHRAN (Reuters) ? Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed to increase bank interest rates on Wednesday, hoping to halt a spiraling currency crisis intensified by new Western sanctions.

"The economy minister has announced Ahmadinejad has agreed with the approval of the Money and Credit Council to increase interest rates on bank deposits to up to 21 percent," the official IRNA news agency reported.

Sanctions the United States and the European Union announced over the last month - targeting Iran's vital oil exports and its central bank - exacerbated fears about the economy and worsened a dash for hard currency.

The rial was already losing value since a decision last April to cut interest paid on bank deposits to a range of a 12.5-15.5, below inflation which is currently around 20 percent, prompting many Iranians to withdraw savings and buy gold and foreign currency and pushing up the price of both.

But the dash for those safe havens accelerated sharply after the new sanctions were announced, resulting in the rial losing 50 percent of its value against the price of dollars available on the open market in just one month.

Monday's decision marks a policy U-turn for Ahmadinejad, who faces a political test in March 2 parliamentary election. He previously vetoed efforts by Central Bank Governor Mahmoud Bahmani to increase rates.

The rial's slide is a huge risk to already rising inflation as Iran is heavily reliant on imported consumer and intermediate goods whose prices have surged as the rial has depreciated.

BUBBLE

The West hopes the economic pressure will force Iran to curb the nuclear work they fear is aimed at making bombs but which Tehran says is entirely peaceful.

Ahmadinejad's representative in parliament - which is already highly critical of the president and may become more so after March 2 - said the new policy would burst what he called the bubble of gold and dollar prices.

"The effects of the new decision will be clear in the market very soon and the bubbles being created for foreign currency and gold will be removed," the ISNA news agency quoted Mohammad Reza Mirtajedini as saying.

The deputy head of parliament's economics committee criticized the government for reacting late to the crisis which he said had "no reasonable, logical basis."

"Increasing the bank deposit interest rates is an appropriate tool for people's investments but doing it in a hasty manner and the current inflamed situation of the market will not solve any problem," Mostafa Motavarzadeh told the semi-official Fars news agency.

The price of 8.133-gram gold coins dropped on the news, local media reported, to 8,500,000 rials, reversing most of last week's 45 percent increase when the price rose to 10,100,000.

The effect on the price of dollars was negligible however with ISNA saying the price had fallen on the news to 22,500 rials from 23,000 rials - still double the central bank's official "reference rate" of 11,293 rials.

However, exchange agencies contacted by Reuters said they had no dollars to sell, reflecting either a shortage of notes or a reluctance to sell in such a volatile atmosphere.

(Writing by Robin Pomeroy; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/wl_nm/us_iran_economy_rates

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