Sooners? coach to meet alma mater in Insight Bowl

TEMPE, Ariz. ? As Oklahoma?s defensive captain and one of the most eloquent players on either side of the ball, Travis Lewis had become a go-to guy for reporters, someone who could provide a non-slanted assessment of the team.

So when the senior linebacker zipped up over the final six weeks of the season, it was a pretty good indication of just how disappointing the year had gone for the Sooners.

?Everybody knew the expectations going into this season ? the fans did, we did, the coaches did,? Lewis said after breaking his silence on Wednesday. ?The most disappointing thing is we felt like we had that team. We felt like we had all the pieces in place this year. And we didn?t meet expectations.?

When Oklahoma (9-3) faces Iowa in today?s Insig3ht Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium, it will be the Sooners? 13th straight bowl ? every year since coach Bob Stoops took over the program ? and give them a chance at a nation-leading 33rd season with at least 10 wins.

Nice accomplishments, just not what was expected coming out of Norman.

Armed with one of the nation?s best quarterbacks Landry Jones and receivers in Ryan Broyles, with talented players at pretty much every position and a No. 1 ranking, the Sooners had aspirations of earning their second national title under Stoops and eighth overall.

They got off to a solid start, bumping off Florida State and Texas while winning their first six games. A 41-38 home loss to Texas Tech on Oct. 22 hurt, but, if the rest of the season unfolded just right, Oklahoma could still be right in the thick of the national-championship chase.

Following a resounding win over No. 8 Kansas State the next week, the Sooners? season started to unravel.

Broyles, an All-American and the NCAA?s all-time leader in receptions, tore a knee ligament against Texas A&M the following week. Oklahoma won that game, but followed with a loss to Baylor and ended the regular season two weeks later with a deflating 44-10 rout to Bedlam rival Oklahoma State.

A year after rolling over Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl, the Sooners are back in the desert trying to put a strong finish on what?s been a frustrating season.

?Every year you are not going to be in the national championship game, but you still have to try and win each and every game you play,? Stoops said. ?That?s what we are trying to do.?

Iowa (7-5) doesn?t figure to be a walkover for the Sooners.

The Hawkeyes barely won half their games, but played a brutal schedule that included seven ranked teams. Iowa also has a bit of confidence in bowls, having won a school-record three straight, including 27-24 over Missouri in last year?s Insight Bowl.

The Hawkeyes entered last year?s game as underdogs and had to switch gears when their top running back was suspended. They enter this year?s game with almost identical circumstances: Oklahoma is favored by 14 and Iowa will be without running back Marcus Coker, who was suspended for violating the university?s student-athlete code of conduct.

?It is almost scary how similar the circumstances are,? Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.

The Insight Bowl will be the culmination of a long difficult year at Iowa.

During the offseason, the Hawkeyes had 13 players hospitalized for a muscle disorder called rhabdomyolysis that was caused by a team workout, leading to criticism of Ferentz and the program.

Iowa had some rough stretches during the regular season, losing two of its final three games, had defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski leave the program to pursue another coaching job and will be playing its final game with defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who?s retiring.

On top of that, they?ll try to replace Coker?s 1,384 yards and 15 touchdowns with a group of unproven running backs ? none of whom have more than 18 carries.

?We better be motivated and to have a chance in this game, we will have to play our absolute best in all three phases,? Ferentz said. ?We can?t open the door anywhere and expect to win.?

Especially with Oklahoma and Lewis looking to emphatically close the door on its season.

?I thought, maybe if I just quit the talking, my team would focus on playing and start winning ballgames,? Lewis said. ?I didn?t want to make excuses for our wins, for our losses. I wanted to just practice and play and let everything take care of itself.?

Source: http://muskogeephoenix.com/opinion/x1477836315/Sooners-coach-to-meet-alma-mater-in-Insight-Bowl

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HBT: Ex-Red Sox reliever Okajima going to Yanks

Hideki Okajima spent nearly all of last season in the minors despite being paid $1.75 million by the Red Sox and now the veteran reliever will try to make it back to the majors with the Yankees.

David Waldstein of the New York Times reports that Okajima has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Yankees that includes an invitation to spring training.

At age 36 the odds are against Okajima reestablishing himself as a quality setup man, but he pitched very well at Triple-A with a 2.29 ERA and 48/9 K/BB ratio in 51 innings and if nothing else could be useful as a situational left-hander.

Okajima provided an excellent return on the Red Sox?s investment after signing out of Japan in 2006, throwing 246 innings with a 3.11 ERA while being paid around $8.5 million.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/28/yankees-sign-hideki-okajima-to-minor-league-deal/related/

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Asian stocks down on mixed US, Japan economic news

BANGKOK --?

World stocks markets fell Wednesday, with trading thinned by year-end holidays and mixed economic news out of the U.S. and Japan.

Benchmark oil hovered above $101 per barrel while the dollar fell against the euro and the yen.

European stocks dropped in early trading. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.2 percent to 5,501.25. Germany's DAX was 0.9 percent lower at 5,839.98 and France's CAC-40 lost 0.4 percent to 3,092.01. Wall Street also appeared headed for a lower opening. Dow Jones industrial futures rose 0.2 percent to 12,199 while S&P 500 futures dipped 0.3 percent to 1,256.60.

Earlier in Asia, trading was subdued, as it typically is between the Christmas holiday and New Year's.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.2 percent to close at 8,423.62. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.6 percent to 18,518.67, while South Korea's Kospi lost 0.9 percent to 1,825.12. Australia's S&P ASX 200 lost 1.3 percent to 4,088.80. Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia were also lower.

Japan's industrial output dropped a seasonally adjusted 2.6 percent last month - the first decline in two months. But the negative news was mitigated by expectations of rebounding manufacturing and production this month and next, which helped to mute stock market losses.

The Shanghai Composite Index reversed course after early losses, rising 0.2 percent to 2,170.01. But the smaller Shenzhen Composite Index sank 0.5 percent at 849.76.

Some investors were "dumping shares" because Beijing has failed to take steps they expected to stimulate slowing economic growth, said Peter Lai, investment manager for DBS Vickers in Hong Kong.

"Some investors believed there would be a reduction in interest rates or the bank reserve ratio. But this hasn't happened," Lai said.

Tokyo Electric Power plunged 11.8 percent, a day after Japanese Industry Minister Yukio Edano suggested that the embattled utility be put under temporary state control and warned the company against resorting to electricity bill hikes.

TEPCO operates the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, which was heavily damaged in the March earthquake and tsunami, and owes massive compensation payments to people and companies harmed by a nuclear disaster at the plant.

Hong Kong-listed property shares also slumped. China Overseas Land & Investment slid 3 percent. China Resources Land lost 2.7 percent.

China Mengniu Dairy, the country's biggest dairy company, plummeted 24 percent in Hong Kong after acknowledging that a cancer-causing toxin had been found in milk produced by the company. Mengniu apologized and said no tainted milk had made it to the market. The government blamed the problem on bad feed given to cows.

Retail shares also slid on growing anxiety over the global economy in 2012. Hong Kong-listed jewelry retailer Chow Sang Sang shed 4 percent. Australian department store chain David Jones fell 2.1 percent and Woolworth's lost 0.9 percent.

On Wall Street on Tuesday, the Dow Jones lost less than 0.1 percent to close at 12,291.35. The S&P 500 was up marginally to 1,265.43. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.3 percent to 2,625.20.

U.S. consumer confidence surged to an eight-month high, but home prices fell in 19 of the 20 cities tracked by the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index. That report dampened investors' enthusiasm about a jump in consumer confidence to the highest level since April.

Benchmark crude oil rose 2 cents to $101.36 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.66 to finish at $101.34 per barrel on the Nymex on Tuesday.

In currency trading, the euro fell to $1.3075 from $1.3069 late Tuesday in New York. The euro has been weak because of worries about Europe's government debt crisis. It is still trading just above an 11-month low of $1.2943 reached on Dec. 14.

The dollar fell to 77.73 yen from 77.85 yen.

Source: http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2011/12/28/1836396/asian-stocks-down-on-mixed-us.html

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Book: Petraeus urged to quit over Afghan drawdown

FILE - In this June 23, 2011 file photo, CIA Director nominee Gen. David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Intelligence Committee during a hearing on his nomination. A new book says general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus almost quit over President Barack Obama?s decision to quickly draw down forces from Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

FILE - In this June 23, 2011 file photo, CIA Director nominee Gen. David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Intelligence Committee during a hearing on his nomination. A new book says general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus almost quit over President Barack Obama?s decision to quickly draw down forces from Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Four-star general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus was urged to resign as Afghanistan war commander over President Barack Obama's decision to quickly withdraw surge forces, according to a new insider's look at Petraeus' 37-year Army career.

Conservative writer Max Boot had urged he take that course of action, but Petraeus decided that resigning would be a "selfish, grandstanding move with huge political ramifications" and that now was "time to salute and carry on," according to a forthcoming biography.

"Director Petraeus has publicly stated that he never contemplated resignation," CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Youngblood said Thursday.

Author and Petraeus confidante Paula Broadwell had extensive access to the general in Afghanistan and Washington for "All In: The Education of General David Petraeus," due from Penguin Press in January. The Associated Press was given an advance copy.

The account traces Petraeus' career from military academy cadet to his command of two wars deemed unwinnable: Iraq and Afghanistan. Co-authored with The Washington Post's Vernon Loeb, the nearly 400-page biography is part history lesson through Petraeus' eyes, part hagiography and part defense of the counterinsurgency strategy he applied in both wars.

Critics of counterinsurgency argue the strategy has not yet proved a success, with violence spiking in Iraq after the departure of U.S. troops, and Afghan local forces deemed ill-prepared to take over by the 2014 deadline.

The book unapologetically casts Petraeus in the hero's role, as in this description of the Afghanistan campaign: "There was a new strategic force released on Kabul: Petraeus' will."

Broadwell does acknowledge that Petraeus rubs some people the wrong way.

"His critics fault him for ambition and self-promotion," she writes. But she adds that "his energy, optimism and will to win stand out more for me."

The book also is peppered with Petraeus quotes that sound like olive branches meant to soothe Obama aides who feared Petraeus would challenge their boss for the White House.

"Petraeus tried to make clear that he and Obama were in synch," Broadwell writes of Petraeus' Senate testimony on the Afghan war.

The book describes Petraeus' frustration at still being labeled an outsider from the Obama administration, even as he retired from the military at Obama's request before taking the job last summer as the CIA's 20th director.

The book depicts Petraeus' rise at an unrelenting, near-superhuman pace. He starts his career as a fiercely competitive cadet known as "Peaches," where he famously wooed the school superintendent's daughter, Holly Knowlton. He went on to command the 101st Airborne Division as part of the invasion of Iraq, then masterminded the rewrite of the Army and Marine Corps' counterinsurgency training manual before returning to command the surge in Baghdad. He was then appointed to head Central Command, overseeing the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as military affairs across much of the Gulf and the Mideast.

He accepted a cut in authority and pay to lead the Afghanistan war campaign when Gen. Stanley McChrystal was forced to resign after a Rolling Stone magazine article that "scorched the general (McChrystal) and his aides, caricaturing them as testosterone-addled frat boys as they insulted Obama" and other officials, Broadwell writes.

She describes how Petraeus' first act was to lift McChrystal's restrictions on the use of force ? especially on airstrikes ? if civilians were nearby.

"There is no question about our commitment to reducing civilian loss of life," Petraeus told his staff. There was, however, "a clear moral imperative to make sure we are fully supporting our troops in combat."

Broadwell adds that the problem, according to Petraeus, was less McChrystal's order than how it was even more strictly re-interpreted by lower commanders.

In her account, Petraeus also faults McChrystal for overpromising and underdelivering in places like Taliban-riddled Marjah in the south, producing months of embarrassing headlines that hurt the war effort back in Washington.

But the book also includes Petraeus' own Rolling Stone-esque moment, when he was quoted badmouthing the White House in Bob Woodward's latest book, "Obama's Wars." A frustrated Petraeus is described as telling his inner circle, on a flight after a glass of wine, that "the administration was (expletive) with the wrong guy."

"Petraeus later expressed his displeasure to all of them for betraying his confidence," Broadwell wrote. "But he knew he was ultimately responsible for making the intemperate remark," a candid admission, through Broadwell, of his lapse in judgment.

He also concedes the Afghan war is not yet won.

"He had wanted to hand (Marine Corps Gen. John) Allen ... a war that had taken a decisive turn," Broadwell writes of what had been Petraeus' goal for his successor. "He knew that, despite the hard-fought progress, that wasn't yet the case."

Yet that admission also presents a get-out clause when combined with the book's account that he considered resigning over the rapid drawdown of troops, neatly removing Petraeus from responsibility if the war goes wrong.

And the account does nothing to puncture the mythology his troops built up around him, something an early mentor, retired Gen. Jack Galvin, told Petraeus to embrace.

"They want you to be bigger than you are, so they magnify you," Galvin said in an interview with Broadwell. "Live up to it all with the highest standards of integrity. You become part of a legend."

"All In" fits neatly into that.___

Online:

www.paulabroadwell.com

___

Kimberly Dozier can be followed on Twitter (at)kimberlydozier.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-29-Petraeus%20Biography/id-a5dbaf9684fe4bf1a0b12fec55fb7a09

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PFT: T.O tweets he wants back with 49ers

Getty Images

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has taken a lot of criticism from fans and the media. But he says he has no doubt that within the locker room, he has unconditional support.

Asked at his press conference today if he is confident that everyone in the locker room supports him, Sanchez answered, ?Absolutely, no question.?

Sanchez offered a similar answer when asked if he thinks he has improved during his three-year NFL career.

?No question, absolutely,? Sanchez said. ?Whether it?s defensive recognition or clock management and stuff like that, understanding the offense and the system, I?m light years ahead, so it?s been a great run so far and we?re not done yet. Hopefully, we?ll get a win and see what happens.?

But watching Sanchez, it?s hard to see how he has really improved in terms of his defensive recognition and clock management. He still makes too many mental mistakes, and he wastes timeouts too often to claim he has improved at clock management.

Ball security is also a huge problem for Sanchez, who fumbled 10 times in his rookie year, nine times last year and has fumbled 10 times this year. Those ball security problems were largely overlooked in his first two seasons because the Jets recovered seven of his 10 fumbles his rookie year and eight of his nine fumbles his second year. But this year the Jets have only recovered two of Sanchez?s 10 fumbles, and the problem of a quarterback who puts the ball on the ground too much has become more apparent.

Ultimately, Sanchez probably got too much credit when the Jets got to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in his first two years, and now he?s probably getting too much blame for the Jets likely missing the playoffs.

?We went to the AFC Championship two years in a row, so there is only one more step to make really, win that game and then go win the Super Bowl,? Sanchez said. ?With those expectations, that?s fine. When things don?t go right, people are going to immediately question me.?

No one said playing quarterback for the New York Jets would be easy.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/28/t-o-stumps-for-san-fran-return/related/

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Demi Lovato Returns To Treatment Center As Guest Speaker

'Wow what an inspiring day ... Many tears were shed and many memories were brought back,' Lovato tweets about the experience.
By Jocelyn Vena

Demi Lovato
Photo: Steve Granitz/ WireImage

Since leaving an Illinois treatment center earlier this year, Demi Lovato has been doing her part to encourage young women to face their problems and deal with them head on. Lovato, who had received treatment at Timberline Knolls for several months to deal with issues ranging from cutting to eating disorders, tweeted about her return visit to treatment over the weekend.

"Wow what an inspiring day ... Many tears were shed and many memories were brought back at Timberline Knolls today," she wrote on Sunday, a year after she first entered the facility. "Today I went back to the treatment center I went to last year to speak to the beautiful women fighting their inner demons. was so honored."

Lovato hasn't been shy about letting people in on her personal journey over the past 12 months, and she said that speaking at the center was a culmination of that experience. "To be able to share my story and let them know that it gets easier ... Life is beautiful ... you are worthy of it. Please say a prayer for all of those struggling with eating disorders, self-harm, mood disorders, and substance abuse," she said.

Since leaving Timberline Knolls, Lovato has focused on her music career, including the release of her album Unbroken and going out on a tour. She plans to release the track "Give Your Heart a Break" as her next single, a report she confirmed on Twitter. In September, she shared with MTV News that she planned to release "Who's That Boy" as a single off the album as well.

Related Artists

• Demi Lovato

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1675354/demi-lovato-treatment-center-speak.jhtml

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Gingrich meets with Trump, begins first ad in Iowa (AP)

NEW YORK ? Surging in polls, Newt Gingrich declared confidently Monday that he plans to run a general election campaign in all 50 states should he win the Republican presidential nomination. But he also found himself defending comments he had made about poor children ? hinting at the potential troubles and new scrutiny he faces in the race.

"I do not suggest children until about 14 or 15 years of age do heavy, dangerous janitorial work," Gingrich told reporters, seeking to explain previous remarks that rivals have used to criticize him. "On the other hand, there are a number of things done to clean buildings that are not heavy or dangerous."

At issue is a remark Gingrich made last week in which he suggested that poor children as young as 9 should work at least part time cleaning their schools in order to learn about work.

The Republican said his original point had been "distorted" to make him look insensitive, and he twice tried to explain where he stood. The idea, Gingrich said, would be "to get them into the world of work, get them into the opportunity to earn money, to get them into the habit of showing up and realizing that effort is rewarded and America is all about the work ethic."

Trying to show sensitivity on the issue, Gingrich also said he had persuaded Donald Trump ? the real estate mogul with whom he met privately earlier in the day ? to mentor a group of children from New York City's poorest schools.

"I thought it was a great idea," said Trump, who hosts the reality show "Celebrity Apprentice." "We're going to be picking 10 young wonderful children and make them `apprenti.' We're going to have a little fun with it."

Gingrich spent the day in New York with a busy schedule of fundraisers and meetings as he looked to solidify his status at the head of the GOP pack alongside Mitt Romney in polls nationally and in Iowa, which holds the first presidential contest on Jan. 3.

The former Georgia lawmaker chose the heavily Democratic city to announce he planned to run in all 50 states ? not just traditionally Republican or swing states ? if he becomes the party nominee.

His campaign, meanwhile, debuted a new television ad in Iowa ? the first of his campaign.

"Some people say the America we know and love is a thing of the past. I don't believe that, because working together I know we can rebuild America," Gingrich says in the ad that's laden with Americana, down to the white picket fence, the Statue of Liberty and the American stars and stripes.

As the day began, Gingrich met privately with Trump, who flirted with a bid for the Republican nomination last spring.

But the candidate left without an endorsement. Trump said he would refrain from endorsing a candidate until after he hosts a televised debate in Iowa a week before that state's caucuses.

Even so, Gingrich praised Trump as a "true American icon." And Trump said he was impressed by the former House speaker's strong showing in the GOP presidential contest.

Gingrich said he would be pleased to participate in the Trump-hosted debate and dismissed criticism from rival Ron Paul that such a forum demeaned the presidency.

"This is a country that elected a peanut farmer to the presidency. This is a country that elected an actor who made two movies with a chimpanzee to the presidency," Gingrich said, referring to Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. "Donald Trump is a great showman; he's also a great businessman. I think one of the differences between my party and the other party is we actually go to people who know how to create jobs. We need to be open to new ways of doing things."

Trump has hinted he might run for president as an Independent if the Republicans nominate a candidate who can't beat President Barack Obama. Trump sidestepped questions about a potential run but said he believes Paul has "zero chance" of getting the nomination.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111205/ap_on_el_ge/us_gingrich_show_of_force

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Instant view: S&P warns of possible downgrades to 15 euro zone (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Standard & Poor's on Monday warned it may downgrade the credit ratings of 15 euro zone countries as the region's debt crisis deepens.

COMMENTS:

MOGENS HAUSCHILDT, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WESTERN UNION BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

"I think it's turning up the pressure on the EU but I don't think it's a surprise. It's very difficult. This situation is not going to go away. But they need to stem the bleeding. The market is very quiet even after the S&P news. That's because they are set for the ECB and the EU meeting on Friday. The focus will be on the ECB Thursday to see if they'll do more toward being lender of last resort. And if Merkel and Sarkozy are going to make a new treaty, that could help, but it won't solve it all."

CARLEY GARNER, SENIOR ANALYST, DECARLEY TRADING, LAS VEGAS:

"This isn't an official credit downgrade, but it is a not so subtle warning to European nations that they must work toward getting their house in order.

Naturally, the headline didn't offer traders any new perspective or give them anything that wasn't already known, but it didn't seem to matter. All the market needed was a reminder as to why Treasuries have been perpetually high in recent months and this piece of news delivered."

CARY LEAHEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND SENIOR ECONOMIST, DECISION ECONOMICS, NEW YORK

"You can argue it's a lagging indicator of the consensus but it is a negative. It includes countries up to and including Germany. Germany might be a bit of a surprise because it has a sterling credit rating. But one thing Germany is worried about is whether, if they share the financial burdens of some of their financial partners, their own credit standing will suffer. In the case of Germany the loss of a AAA credit rating might not mean the loss of Merkel's career. But Sarkozy might be more vulnerable in France."

WILLIAM LARKIN, FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO MANAGER, CABOT MONEY MANAGEMENT, SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS:

"We were running on some good news for a couple of days so we were about due for something negative. This is like kicking somebody when they are down. I don't know how much of this is priced into the market. It looks like we are not getting a big reaction on the 10-year (Treasury note) right now, but the European market is closed.

"The most important thing going forward right now is that yields on these bonds remain in the current range -- they seem like they are trending down, which is a positive for everybody involved. Part of this is probably priced in, or even the majority of it, but we will find out tomorrow."

FRED DICKSON, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, THE DAVIDSON COS., LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON

"At this point I can't say anybody would be surprised. All of these governments have fairly significant debt as a percentage of their GDPs. They have debt levels relative to their GDP in the same range as the U.S. or slightly higher. All I can say is what took them so long.

"It's the first yellow flag that it could happen across the board. Anything that seems like a little bit of bad news causes a little bit of a sell-off."

DAN FUSS, VICE CHAIRMAN, LOOMIS SAYLES, WHICH OVERSEES MORE THAN $160 BILLION IN ASSETS

"It would bring the top six in line with the United States. When you look at the underlying factors here, Are these really better credits than the U.S.? No. Not by a long shot."

JACOB OUBINA, SENIOR US ECONOMIST, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, NEW YORK

"I don't think it should surprise anybody. From my perspective this was a long time coming, given all the issues and given the fact that they've made very little headway on the crisis.

"We got a pretty significant leg down in Treasury yields when the rumors started circulating about an hour ago.

"If Germany gets knocked down, and that looks highly likely, Treasuries (yields) are going to break back down to their recent lows. It's going to be tough to get down past the 1.90 percent (10-year yield) level.

"It's an interesting week for this to happen. The U.S. is incredibly slow this week, with data and Fedspeak, so all eyes are on Europe and this has the potential to have even more of an impact this week than it would have perhaps last week."

BRIAN DOLAN, CHIEF STRATEGIST, FOREX.COM, BEDMINSTER, NEW JERSEY

"I still think the ratings agencies suffer from a credibility deficit. That said, we know Europe is facing a dire situation here and this action seems appropriate. Ultimately, it may be S&P signaling to the EU this is it, that they've got to get something done now. If they are trying to send a message, now is a good time. This should weigh on risk sentiment. I'd be surprised to see European equity markets rally tomorrow. As for the euro, there's some magic support keeping it up. There's enough optimism that Europe will do something this time, so euro sellers are pretty nervous."

MARKET REACTION:

STOCKS: U.S. stock index futures slip

BONDS: U.S. Treasury debt prices were little changed

FOREX: The euro edges slightly lower versus dollar

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111205/bs_nm/us_eu_economy_instant

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Court weighs trademark on Maker's Mark wax seal (AP)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ? The red wax seal atop a Maker's Mark bottle makes the bourbon stand out on store shelves. Whether the bourbon company can keep that distinction is up to a panel of three federal judges.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday stepped into the sticky arguments over whether Maker's Mark can keep a trademark on the wax seal and enforce an injunction stopping any other liquor company from using a similar top.

Maker's Mark won an order in 2010 awarding it exclusive rights to the dripping wax seal. U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II in Louisville granted Maker's Mark an injunction prohibiting any other company from using a similar seal and look, saying the bourbon maker held a valid trademark.

The order ended a seven-year long lawsuit between Deerfield, Ill.-based Fortune Brands, which owns Maker's Mark, and London-based Diageo North America and Casa Cuervo of Mexico, which used a dripping red wax seal on special bottles of its Reserva tequila. Fortune Brands has since split its liquor business into a new company called Beam Inc.

The appeals court did not give a timeline for deciding the case.

Maker's Mark attorney Edward T. Colbert said the seal serves no purpose other than to make the bourbon bottles distinctive and that Cuervo doesn't need to use it.

"What they have here is a competitive desire to use the wax, not a competitive need to use wax," said Colbert, the brother of comedian Stephen Colbert.

Attorneys for Diageo and Cuervo argued that using a wax seal wouldn't cause customers to confuse the company's tequila with the bourbon or believe the two companies were affiliated.

"Wouldn't it be a logical assumption that the same company made the two products because of the red wax seal?" asked Judge Karen Nelson Moore, looking at a bottle of Maker's Mark and a bottle of Cuervo brought into the courtroom.

"They know exactly where that comes from," Cuervo attorney Michael Aschen said of the tequila. "They're not going to get confused and think it comes from Kentucky."

The Samuels family, which created Maker's Mark in 1958, trademarked the distinctive seal, which serves only a decorative purpose.

Cuervo opted to include a dripping wax seal on bottles in 1997 as part of an effort to create an artisan look. The bottles of Reserva with the new seal entered the U.S. market in 2001 in a limited production of 3,000-to-4,000 bottles. The bottles remained on sale in the U.S. for about three years.

Maker's Mark, bottled in Loretto in central Kentucky, sued over the seal in 2003, claiming it violated the long-standing trademark. Cuervo dropped the dripping wax seal six years ago.

At times, the arguments devolved into a conversation about the quality of the liquors, shape and size of the bottles and hypothetical questions about whether the color of the wax seal would make a difference.

Aschen noted that Maker's Mark uses a square bottle with large, black letters on it, while Cuervo's bottle is tall, cylindrical, bears the tequila's logo and cost about $100, compared to about $25 for the bourbon. The only thing that looks alike is the red wax seal, Aschen said.

"Other than that, there's no similarity," Aschen said.

"They're both dark," Judge Boyce F. Martin said. "Don't they look alike? Maker's Mark is not cheap."

Maker's Mark spends about $22 million annually to market its bourbon, and sells about 800,000 cases annually. The ad campaigns focus heavily on the dripping red wax seal. The company occasionally will make a wax seal of a different color, such as its recent promotion raising money for a charity with University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari. In that case, Maker's Mark produced a limited number of bottles with a blue wax seal.

Along with the advertising campaigns, Maker's Mark uses onsite dipping stations that allow customers to make their own wax seals on bottles.

Heyburn declined to award damages, saying Cuervo violated the trademark, but did not focus its marketing efforts on the red wax seal to the point of damaging Maker's Mark's brand. Cuervo spent only about $500,000 of its $100 million overall branding budget on the Reserva tequila and sold its bottles for $100 each, while Maker's Mark went for about $24 a bottle, Heyburn found.

___

Online:

Beam Inc. (formerly Fortune Brands): http://www.beamglobal.com/

Diageo: http://www.diageo.com

____

Associated Press writer Brett Barrouquere is on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BBarrouquereAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_re_us/us_wax_seal_battle

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Mars explorer 'Curiosity' set for Saturday launch

NASA's Mars explorer Curiosity, the most capable robotic rover ever built for taking the measure of a planet, is to launch Saturday morning. Curiosity?will analyze the layered terrain in Gale Crater to read in its rocks the history of the environment there.

NASA's Mars explorer Curiosity, the most capable robotic rover ever built for taking the measure of a planet, is nestled snugly in its protective fairing atop an Atlas V rocket, awaiting a 10:02 launch this morning from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Not since the twin Viking landers touched down on the Martian surface in 1976 has an advanced robotic chemistry lab been dispatched to the planet ? a sibling of Earth that has captured the human imagination for millenniums.

Unlike Vikings 1 and 2, Curiosity will not hunt for direct evidence of life on Mars. Instead, scientists fielding the Mini Cooper-sized rover with its seven foot "neck" will analyze the layered terrain in Gale Crater to read in its rocks the history of the environment there.

IN PICTURES:?Exploring Mars

The crater's rocks show evidence of water in their distant past. And the formations appear to record a progression from wet, to occasionally wet, to dry conditions. Now researchers are hunting for clues about the broader chemical and atmospheric processes affecting the planet during these changes, conditions that could have encouraged or inhibited the possible emergence of life on Mars.

Any life that exists on Mars "will be a function of its environment," says Pamela Conrad, an astrobiologist at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and a deputy principal investigator for one of the soil-analysis instruments Curiosity carries.

"We can't say with any definitive knowledge that we could recognize life somewhere else in the solar system, or beyond the solar system, without being able to unbolt all the assumptions and all the experience we have" looking at life on Earth, Dr. Conrad says.

For Mars, Curiosity represents the tool that will suggest to astrobiologists how loose bolts have to be.??????

But first, Curiosity has to get there.

It's a 354-million-mile trip that begins with this morning's lift-off. Once Curiosity reaches space, the craft's Centaur upper stage will ignite and place the craft in a temporary parking orbit around Earth. Roughly 20 minutes later, the upper stage will ignite once more to send Curiosity on its way to Mars.

During the trip, scientists and engineers will make sure the 10 science instruments aboard the rover are working properly, make any course corrections that might be needed to keep Curiosity on the interplanetary not-so-straight but narrow, and plan the early stages of their exploration of Gale Crater.

Over the course of Curiosity's 98-week primary mission, the rover is expected to cover about 12 miles. But mission managers say they expect it to rack up far more than that if the mission receives extensions, according to Peter Theisinger, project manager for the Mars Science Laboratory at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/3q2i_TUq0TM/Mars-explorer-Curiosity-set-for-Saturday-launch

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Here's Where You Can See The Dark Knight Rises Prologue on December 16

Back in October, we learned the exciting news that Christopher Nolan would be debuting the six-minute prologue from The Dark Knight Rises in front of Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol on IMAX (starting December 16th). It was definitely great news, but then we heard that the prologue would only be shown at IMAX theaters housing a 70mm projector. Well, today that news has been confirmed and along with it comes a list of participating theaters. It?s neat that Warner Bros. is giving a peek at the film this early, but it?s unfortunate for those who live nowhere near a 70mm IMAX theater (especially given that many theater across the country have been converted to the digital format).

While I?d like to hope that Nolan and Co. will make the prologue available online or elsewhere, I wouldn?t bet on it. Included in the release of the theater list is a statement from Nolan touting the IMAX format specifically in 70mm. At least we?re getting a new trailer for the film in front of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Hit the jump to find out if your theater makes the cut, and leap with joy or retreat in tears accordingly. The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20th, 2012.

Here?s the statement from Nolan, followed by the full list of theaters (via Nolan Fans):

?Our experience on The Dark Knight shooting and projecting IMAX 15 perf 65mm/70mm film was inspiring. The immersive quality of the image goes beyond any other filmmaking tool available, and in revisiting Gotham, we were determined to shoot even more of the movie in this unique format. Giving the fans an early look at an IMAX sequence is a great way to draw attention to what I believe will be an incredible way to experience our story when it comes out next summer.? ? Christopher Nolan

Austin, TX || IMAX Theater Austin
Boston, MA || Jordan?s IMAX
Boston, MA || IMAX 3D Theatre in Reading
Calgary, AB || Scotiabank Theatre Chinook 16 + IMAX
Chantilly, VA || Washington, DC Udvar-Hazy Center IMAX
Chicago, IL || Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
Des Moines, IA || SCI IMAX Dome Theater Des
Detroit, MI || Henry Ford IMAX
Edmonton, AB || Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton + IMAX
Harrisburg, PA || The Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts IMAX
Houston, TX || Houston Marq*e Stadium 22 + IMAX
Indianapolis, IN? || White River IMAX
Los Angeles, CA || Irvine Spectrum 20 + IMAX
Los Angeles, CA || RAVE 18 + IMAX
Los Angeles, CA || Ontario Palace Stadium 22 + IMAX
Los Angeles, CA || Citywalk Stadium 19 with IMAX
Madison, WI || Star 18 Fitchburg with IMAX
Miami, FL || AutoNation IMAX
Minneapolis, MN || Great Clips IMAX
Montreal, QC || Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal + IMAX
Nashville,TN || Opry Mills Stadium 20 + IMAX
New York, NY || Lincoln Square 13 with IMAX
New York, NY || Palisades IMAX
Omaha, NE || Star Cinema 16 with IMAX
Orlando, FL || Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX
Ottawa, ON || Silvercity Gloucester + IMAX
Palm Springs, CA || Desert IMAX Theatre
Philadelphia, PA || IMAX & the Tropicana
Philadelphia, PA || Tuttleman IMAX ? Franklin Institute
Phoenix, AZ || Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX
Providence, RI || Providence Place 16 with IMAX
Quebec City, QC || IMAX Le Theatre At Quebec
Sacramento, CA || Esquire IMAX
San Antonio, TX || IMAX at RiverCenter
San Francisco, CA || Metreon 16 with IMAX & ETX
Seattle, WA || Boeing IMAX ? Pacific Science Center
Tampa, FL || Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)
Toronto, ON || Coliseum 12 Mississauga + IMAX
Toronto, ON || Scotiabank Theatre Toronto + IMAX
Toronto, ON || Colossus 18 Woodbridge + IMAX
Vancouver, BC || Colossus Langley + IMAX
Vancouver, BC || Silvercity Riverport 18 + IMAX

Below is a list of the theaters in the UK in which the Prologue of The Dark Knight Rises will be revealed on December 21st:
UK || BFI London
UK || National Media Museum IMAX Bradford
UK || Glasgow Science Centre IMAX Cinema
UK || Odeon Manchester IMAX @ The Printworks

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924064/news/1924064/

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AP Newsbreak: Medicare's drug coverage gap shrinks (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Medicare's prescription coverage gap is getting noticeably smaller and easier to manage this year for millions of older and disabled people with high drug costs.

The "doughnut hole," an anxiety-inducing catch in an otherwise popular benefit, will shrink about 40 percent for those unlucky enough to land in it, according to new Medicare figures provided in response to a request from The Associated Press.

The average beneficiary who falls into the coverage gap would have spent $1,504 this year on prescriptions. But thanks to discounts and other provisions in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, that cost fell to $901, according to Medicare's Office of the Actuary, which handles economic estimates.

A 50 percent discount that the law secured from pharmaceutical companies on brand name drugs yielded an average savings of $581. Medicare also picked up more of the cost of generic drugs, saving an additional $22.

The estimates are averages, so some Medicare recipients may do worse and others better. Also, it's still unclear if the discounts will start to overcome seniors' deep unease about the law.

Concern over cutting Medicare to expand coverage for the uninsured helped push older voters toward Republicans in the 2010 congressional elections. Obama and the Democrats have been trying to woo them back ever since.

"For people with high drug expenditures, the 50 percent discount offers real savings," said Tricia Neuman, director of Medicare policy for the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "It's certainly more helpful than no coverage at all, which is what they had previously."

More than 2 million beneficiaries already have gotten some help, discounts that have gone largely to middle-class seniors, because the poor are covered in the gap at taxpayer expense.

For retired elementary school teacher Carolyn Friedman, it meant she didn't need a loan to pay for drugs that keep her epilepsy under control.

"What a change for the better," said Friedman, 71, of Sunrise, Fla. "This year it was easier to pay my bills, whereas last year I had to borrow money to pay for my medications when I was in the doughnut hole."

One of her brand-name anti-seizure drugs cost about $370 in the gap last year, and the other about $270. This year Friedman paid about $150 and $130, respectively, for a month's supply.

Medicare covers about 47 million older and disabled people, and about 9 in 10 have some kind of prescription plan. Most rely on the drug benefit, also known as Part D, which is delivered through private insurance plans.

Beneficiaries have until Dec. 7 to change their drug plans for 2012. Consumer advocates recommend that seniors check their coverage during open enrollment to see if their current choice remains the best for next year. Many families start the process around the Thanksgiving holiday.

The coverage gap, a money-saving idea from a previous Congress, never has been popular.

It starts after an individual beneficiary and his or her drug plan have spent a total of $2,840 on medications for the year. Seniors are then on their own for the next $3,600.

Once total spending reaches about $6,440, Medicare's catastrophic coverage kicks in and beneficiaries pay only a token amount. Most people do not spend enough in the doughnut hole to qualify for catastrophic coverage.

Although few private insurance plans still cap the amount they spend on medications, Medicare's hole-in-the-middle approach is highly unusual.

The Republican-led Congress that passed the drug benefit under President George W. Bush was trying to balance coverage and costs, as many conservatives fretted about creating a new unfunded entitlement.

Supporters wanted all beneficiaries to get some initial benefit from the program, and they wanted to protect those with overwhelmingly high costs. The resulting compromise led to the doughnut hole.

Under Obama's health care law, the gap will be gradually phased down by 2020.

This year, the law provides a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs and 7 percent break on generics. Next year the discount on generics rises to 14 percent. When the changes are fully phased in, beneficiaries will still be responsible for their annual deductible and 25 percent of the cost of their medications until they reach catastrophic coverage.

If Republicans succeed in repealing what they dismiss as "Obamacare," the discounts would be wiped out as well.

Joan Gibbs thought her pharmacy had made a mistake. Her total cost for a brand-name painkiller in the doughnut hole came out lower than her co-payment earlier in the year, at a time her plan was picking up most of the tab.

"I reluctantly called the insurance company," said Gibbs, 54, who lives near Cleveland. "If they had made a mistake, I knew they would catch it sooner or later. I was very surprised that it turned out to be such a good discount."

Gibbs is on Medicare because of an auto-immune disorder and other medical problems that left her unable to work.

Other beneficiaries say it's still a struggle, even with the discounts.

John Robinson of Bel Air, Md., has diabetes and heart problems. A retired director of patient accounts for a hospital, Robinson said he runs up his credit card balance to pay for insulin, other medications and diabetic supplies in the doughnut hole.

"Thank God for credit cards," said Robinson, 71. "I thought it was better this year, but it still cost me more money than I had."

___

Online:

Medicare plan finder: http://tinyurl.com/2c6o5fh

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111127/ap_on_go_ot/us_medicare_coverage_gap

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