The fight for Cuban-Americans is on in Florida (AP)

HIALEAH, Fla. ? If Mitt Romney wins Tuesday's primary, a sliver of the GOP electorate in Florida may be one of the big reasons. Cuban-Americans are deeply committed voters who can have an impact in competitive races, and Romney has strong support among the influential Cuban-American establishment.

Older exiles also tend to vote heavily through absentee ballots, where the former Massachusetts governor all but certainly has an edge. And the candidate's emphasis on fixing the economy is resonating with backers like Jesus Ovidez, who cares more about jobs than he does U.S. policy toward Cuba.

"When we are in a better position here, then we can worry about over there. But first you have to put your own house in order," said Ovidez, who spent months in a forced labor camp before fleeing the island in the late 1960s.

Ovidez has been a co-owner of Chico's Restaurant in the heavily Cuban-American community of Hialeah north of Miami for more than 30 years. He gestured around to the mostly empty chairs during one recent lunch hour and talked about how Romney's emphasis on the economy was one of the main reasons he already has cast his vote for the former businessman.

"There's no money. People don't go out to eat any more," said Ovidez. Maybe, he said, Romney can help change that. Plus, Ovidez argued, Romney is the only Republican who can beat President Barack Obama, saying: "He's an individual who is a millionaire, and with money you win elections."

During the past week, a series of polls have shown Romney pulling ahead of chief challenger Newt Gingrich in the run up to Tuesday's primary.

Overall, roughly 11.1 percent of registered Republicans in Florida are Hispanic. And of all Hispanic voters in the state, 32.1 percent are Cuban, 28.4 percent are Puerto Rican and 25 percent come mostly from Central and South America., according to the Pew Hispanic Center, which cites the Florida Division of Elections.

Ana Carbonell, a longtime political operative now working for Romney, estimates that 14 percent of the GOP primary vote comes from Miami-Dade County and, of that, 75 percent is Cuban-American.

Generally, Cuban-American voters have the highest turnout rates. In 2008, they helped John McCain win the primary over Romney, who lost heavily in Miami-Dade County, where this voting group is most concentrated.

Cuban-American voters are particularly reliable in the primary in part because so many of the older exiles vote early through absentee ballots, and Romney's campaign ? with the significant help from local Cuban-American political leaders ? has led all other campaigns in encouraging Floridians to vote before Tuesday. He or his allies have been on the TV airwaves since December targeting early voters. And in recent days, they have flooded Spanish-radio and TV with ads attacking Gingrich.

Romney's strength among the old-guard Cuban-Americans was evident last week when he received a standing ovation before he even spoke to more than 400 exile political and civic leaders. They packed the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, where thousands fleeing Fidel Castro's revolution first received health care and were processed by immigration officers in the 1960s. Romney was flanked by prominent Cuban-American politicians, including former Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress.

While Romney highlighted his business background and spoke on the economy, he also tapped into the pride many Cuban-Americans still feel toward the island nation and their angst over its leaders.

"If I'm fortunate enough to become the next president, it is my expectation that Fidel Castro will finally be taken off this planet," Romney told the crowd to wild applause. Castro, 85, has been ill since 2006, when he handed over power to his brother, Raul. "We have to be prepared, in the next president's first or second term, it is time to strike for freedom in Cuba."

Arguably the state's most popular Cuban-American politician, Sen. Marco Rubio, has withheld an endorsement during the primary but came to Romney's defense in the past week, criticizing Gingrich over an ad that labeled Romney anti-immigrant.

Gingrich, for his part, has called for a U.S.-supported "Cuban spring" uprising against the long-standing communist regime.

If elected, he told a crowd of Hispanic business and civic leaders Friday, he would bring to bear "the moral force of an American president who is serious about intending to free the people of Cuba, and willingness to intimidate those who are the oppressors and say to them, `You will be held accountable.'"

Gingrich has talked of covert action to overthrow the government of Raul Castro, though he insisted such efforts would not include violence.

And he signed a pledge to roll back the ability of Cubans to visit and send money to relatives on the island to the strict limits Bush imposed in 2004. Such promises play well in the older exile community, many of whose homes were confiscated during the Cuban revolution and are far less likely than newer Cuban immigrants to have close family there.

Gingrich also aired a Spanish-language radio ad in South Florida, reminding voters of Romney's 2007 presidential campaign gaffe, in which he proudly declared in Little Havana, "Patria or muerte, venceremos!" (Fatherland or death, we shall overcome) ? not realizing the line was a slogan of Fidel Castro.

All that has helped sway retired insurance agent and Cuban exile Bernardo Diaz.

Last week, he declared his vote for Romney.

"I don't want Obama, and he's the only one who can win," Diaz said, as he puffed on a cigarette outside the famed Versailles Restaurant in Miami's Little Havana.

Days later, he had changed his mind, saying: "I'm leaning toward Gingrich. Gingrich seems more energetic, stronger on Cuba."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_el_pr/us_florida_the_cuban_vote

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Erivedge Approved to Treat Basal Cell Carinoma (HealthDay)

MONDAY, January 30 (HealthDay News) -- Erivedge (vismodegib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, the agency said Monday.

The drug was approved for people for whom surgery or radiation aren't options, and for people with basal cell that has spread to other parts of the body, according to an FDA news release.

Basal cell usually is a slow-growing, painless type of cancer that begins in the top layer of skin, often on areas most exposed to the sun.

Erivedge was evaluated in clinical studies involving 96 people with basal cell carcinoma. The most common side effects included muscle spasms, hair loss, weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, distorted taste, loss of appetite and constipation.

The drug was approved with an FDA's label warning that pregnant women who take Erivedge could have babies at greater risk of severe birth defects or death. "Pregnancy status must be verified prior to the start of Erivedge treatment," the agency release advised.

Erivedge is marketed by Genentech, based in San Francisco, Calif.

More information

Medline Plus has more about basal cell carcinoma.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120131/hl_hsn/erivedgeapprovedtotreatbasalcellcarinoma

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Syrian army launches offensive on Damascus suburbs

BEIRUT (AP) ? The Syrian military launched an offensive to regain control of suburbs on the eastern edge of Damascus on Sunday, storming neighborhoods and clashing with groups of army defectors in fierce fighting that sent residents fleeing and killed at least 12 people, activists said.

Violence elsewhere in the country killed at least 17 more people, including six soldiers in a roadside bombing south of the capital.

But the heaviest fighting was focused in a belt of suburbs and villages on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, where government troops reinforced by dozens of tanks and armored vehicles battled with armed defectors who have grown increasingly bold, staking out positions and setting up checkpoints in recent days.

Some of the fighting on Sunday was only two miles (four kilometers) from Damascus, in Ein Tarma, making it the closest yet to the capital as President Bashar Assad's regime pushes to uproot protesters and dissident soldiers who have joined the opposition.

"There are heavy clashes going on in all of the Damascus suburbs," said Rami Abdul-Rahman, director of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who relies on a network of activists on the ground. "Troops were able to enter some areas but are still facing stiff resistance in others."

The ten-month uprising against Assad, which began with largely peaceful demonstrations, has grown increasingly militarized recently as more frustrated protesters and army defectors have taken up arms against the regime.

The assault on the suburbs seemed to be a sign of the growing presence of dissident soldiers closer to Damascus, and the regime's rising concern about the situation. Although the tightly controlled capital has been relatively quiet since the uprising began, its outskirts have witnessed intense anti-regime protests and army defectors have become more visible and active in the past few months.

The military has responded with a withering assault on a string of Damascus suburbs in a bid to stamp out the resistance, leading to a spike in violence has killed nearly 100 people since Thursday.

The rising bloodshed has added urgency to new attempts by Arab and Western countries to find a resolution to the 10 months of violence, which according to the United Nations has killed at least 5,400 people as Assad seeks to crush persistent protests demanding an end to his rule.

The U.N. is holding talks on a new resolution on Syria and next week will discuss an Arab League peace plan aimed at ending the crisis. But the initiatives face two major obstacles: Damascus' rejection of an Arab plan that it says impinges on its sovereignty, and Russia's willingness to use its U.N. Security Council veto to protect Syria from sanctions.

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby told reporters in Egypt on Sunday that contacts were under way with China and Russia.

"I hope that their stand will be adjusted in line with the final drafting of the draft resolution," he told reporters at before leaving for New York with Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim.

The two will seek U.N. support for the latest Arab plan to end Syria's crisis. The plan calls for a two-month transition to a unity government, with Assad giving his vice president full powers to work with the proposed government.

The Arab League on Saturday halted the work of its observer mission in Syria because of the escalating violence, until the League's council can meet to decide the mission's fate. Arab foreign ministers were to meet Sunday in Cairo to discuss the Syrian crisis in light of the suspension of the observers' work and Damascus' refusal to agree to the transition timetable, the League said.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said he was "concerned" about the League's decision to suspend its monitoring mission and called on Assad to "immediately stop the bloodshed." He spoke at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa Sunday.

While the international community scrambles to find a resolution to the crisis, the violence on the ground in Syria has continued unabated.

On Sunday, activists said three civilians including a 16-year-old died in fierce fighting in the suburb of Kfar Batna. There was heavy shelling there and in the nearby suburbs of Saqba and Arbeen, they said.

"Troops this morning stormed Kfar Batna, Hammouriyeh and Ein Tarma," said an activist who identified himself as Mohammad Doumani, based in the Damascus suburb of Douma. "It looks like the regime has launched an operation to regain control of those areas."

Doumani said dozens of families were fleeing Ein Tarma and nearby areas for Damascus. Amateur videos posted on the Internet showed residents, including women and children, fleeing on foot carrying bags stuffed with belongings as the crackle of gunfire echoed in the background.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 23 people were killed in Syria Sunday, most of them in fighting in the Damascus suburbs and in the central city of Homs, a hotbed of anti-regime protests. The dead include 10 soldiers who were killed in an ambush in Idlib, it said.

The Local Coordination Committees activist network said 29 people were killed on Sunday, including 12 who were killed in the suburbs of the capital.

Syria's state-run news agency said "terrorists" detonated a roadside bomb by remote control near a bus carrying soldiers in the Damascus suburb of Sahnaya, killing six soldiers and wounding six others. Among those killed in the attack some 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of the capital were two first lieutenants, SANA said.

In the Iraqi northern Kurdish city of Irbil, about 200 members of Syria's Kurdish parties were holding two days of meetings to explore ways of supporting efforts to topple Assad.

Abdul-Baqi Youssef, a member of the Syrian Kurdish Union Party, said representatives of 11 Kurdish parties formed the Syrian Kurdish National Council that will coordinate anti-government activities with Syria's opposition.

"This is a good start to unify the Kurds in Syria and to drive the revolution forward for the sake of getting rid of Bashar Assad," Youssef said by telephone.

While the Kurds support the broader Syrian opposition movement's efforts to overthrow the regime, they also want opposition leaders to "guarantee our national rights before the fall of the regime," Youssef said.

Kurds make up 15 percent of Syria's 23 million people and have long complained of discrimination.

___

Associated Press writers Maamoun Youssef in Cairo, Yahya Barzanji in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, and Luc van Kemenade in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-29-ML-Syria/id-15b144c3593248fa868b60e808488e10

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Animals Get The Upper Paw, or Hoof, or Claw (preview)

Antigravity | More Science See Inside

Every so often a critter takes a shot at making headlines

By Steve Mirsky ?| January 29, 2012

Image: Matt Collins

In journalism, there?s what you call your dog-bites-man situation. Which is anything too common and expected to be a good story (unless the dog is one of those Resident Evil hellhounds, or the man is Cesar Millan). An example of a dog-bites-man science story is yet another confirmation of Einstein and relativity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Steve Mirsky has been writing the Anti Gravity column since atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were about 358 parts per million. He also hosts the Scientific American podcast Science Talk.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=06f4ff3e53d3b8a10e479108af970713

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Tulsa Family Displaced, Pets Saved In House Fire - NewsOn6.com ...

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Source: http://www.newson6.com/story/16622304/tulsa-family-displaced-pets-saved-in-house-fire

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GOP candidates' pitch to voters: I'm your leader (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The pitch from the Republican presidential contenders to voters sounds a lot like the children's game of follow the leader.

When Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich aren't puffing up their own leadership credentials, they're running down the leadership skills of one another and of President Barack Obama.

If anyone missed Monday's conference call from the Romney campaign about Gingrich's record as a "failed leader," not to worry. They could have tuned in to Tuesday's conference call. Or Wednesday's. Or Thursday's. Or checked out the "unreliable leader" banner splashed across a Romney news release that labeled Gingrich "unhinged."

Romney's political biography, meanwhile, is all about his leadership as a businessman, Massachusetts governor and savior of the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

It's hard to miss Gingrich's frequent broadsides at Romney for failing to provide consistent, visionary leadership. Or the former House speaker's pronouncements that he, by contrast, offers "exactly the kind of bold, tough leader the American people want." Or Gingrich's descriptions of all that was accomplished in his four years as speaker in the 1990s.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, trailing in the polls, keeps trying to muscle his way into the conversation by offering himself as the steady bet who can be counted on to offer more reliable conservative leadership than "erratic" Gingrich or "moderate" Romney.

In a race where all the candidates are trying to out-conservative one another, stressing leadership credentials gives the GOP rivals a way to try to distinguish themselves. In a year when Obama's own leadership skills are seen as one of his weakest qualities, it gives the Republicans one more arrow in their quiver as they argue over who would be most electable in a matchup with Obama come November.

Leadership is always a part of the equation in presidential elections. In 2008, for example, the candidates all were abuzz with claims that they offered "transformational" leadership.

"I want to transform this country," Obama said when he announced he was running.

This year, leadership is getting an extra dose of attention, perhaps because of statistics such as this: The share of Americans viewing Obama as a strong leader slipped from 77 percent at the start of his presidency to 52 percent in a Pew Research Center poll released this month. Among Republicans, only about one-fourth of those surveyed in the most recent poll said Obama was a strong leader, compared with 80 percent of Democrats.

At a campaign debate last week in Tampa, Fla., Gingrich and Romney both turned a question about electability into an answer about the L-word.

"This is going to come down a question of leadership," Romney said. Then the former Massachusetts governor recited his track record as a leader in business and government and took a dig at Gingrich for having to "resign in disgrace" when he was speaker in the 1990s.

Gingrich, answering the same question, aligned himself with the leadership record of conservative hero Ronald Reagan and offered himself as someone "prepared to be controversial when necessary" to bring about great change.

The answers offer a window into how differently the two candidates define leadership: Romney more as a manager with business school credentials, Gingrich more as a big-thinking visionary.

The leadership argument is a particularly potent campaign weapon for Romney because a number of Republicans who served in Congress with Gingrich have been happy to describe his shortcomings in running the House.

"If you were somebody trying to serve with him, you were always sort of left standing with your hands empty in terms of moving forward with an actual plan or putting a plan to paper," Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., said of Gingrich on a Romney campaign conference call Thursday. "So for me, it's an example that he's just not an effective leader. I think Mitt has the temperament and the ability to lead."

Gingrich, who resigned after a spate of ethics problems and a poor showing for House Republicans in the 1998 elections, managed to turn even his resignation as speaker into evidence that he's a strong leader.

"I took responsibility for the fact that our results weren't as good as they should be," he said in the Tampa debate. "I think that's what a leader should do."

As for the turbulence of his tenure as speaker, Gingrich casts that, too, as evidence of his bold leadership.

"Look, I wish everybody had loved me, but I'd rather be effective representing the American people than be popular inside Washington," he said earlier in the campaign.

Stephen Wayne, a presidential scholar at Georgetown University, said the harsh judgment of Obama's presidential leadership by Republicans and even some Democrats in part is due to the high hopes that he raised during the 2008 campaign. Obama the president has been measured against the words of Obama the candidate ever since.

Now that it's campaign season again, says Wayne, "he's not competing against his own image, he's competing against a real life person that has frailties. ... In a sense, that lowers the bar for Obama."

___

AP Deputy Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report.

___

Follow Nancy Benac at http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_follow_the_leader

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Analysis: Romney is fiery, focused in Fla. Debate (AP)

ORLANDO, Fla. ? Mitt Romney, forced to prove his resilience after a stinging loss in South Carolina, is showing why the so-called Republican establishment thinks he has the best discipline, organization and campaign smarts to challenge President Barack Obama this fall.

The former Massachusetts governor turned in his best debate performance yet Thursday night, putting chief rival Newt Gingrich on the defensive from the opening minutes in Jacksonville, Fla., and never letting up for two hours. It was a striking change after two South Carolina debates in which Gingrich revived his own campaign with fiery populist and media-bashing zingers that made Romney appear pallid in comparison.

Romney hired a new debate coach after those events. He was considerably more aggressive in a debate Monday in Tampa.

Then on Thursday, he urged his supporters to pack the hall in Jacksonville for the debate aired by CNN. As soon as it started, he appeared more prepared, polished and focused than Gingrich, who curiously dropped the fire-breathing aggressiveness he had shown only hours earlier at a morning tea party rally.

In contrast to the rousing ovations that Gingrich, the former House speaker, had received in the two South Carolina debates, the Jacksonville audience seemed mostly on Romney's side.

"When I'm shot at, I'll return fire," Romney said moments after the debate ended. "I'm certainly no shrinking violet."

Many Republicans expect Tuesday's Florida primary to be close. And debate performances are only one part of the GOP presidential campaign. It also features millions of dollars in TV, radio and mail ads and heavy coverage of candidates' events by local news outlets.

This cycle's presidential debates, however, have drawn big audiences and played an unusually large role in shaping the campaign. Gingrich's feisty performances after his near-fatal finish in Iowa helped put him into strong contention with Romney.

Romney's performance Thursday will doubtlessly reassure many mainstream party members who see Gingrich as too mercurial and burdened by past political battles to make the strongest case against Obama.

"Romney took the right lesson from South Carolina: Keep your opponent down, don't let him back up," New Hampshire political scientist Dante Scala, who follows the contest closely, said on Twitter before the debate was half over.

Former Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas congressman Ron Paul also participated in the forum, although Paul is not actively campaigning in Florida. Santorum scored strong points by noting that both Gingrich and Romney have supported mandatory health insurance for individuals.

Santorum says that history weakens the two men's ability to challenge Obama on mandated health coverage. Santorum is struggling to compete in sprawling, expensive Florida, however, and he planned to return for a while to Pennsylvania on Friday.

Romney's performance in Jacksonville was by no means perfect. He said he didn't remember a Spanish-language radio ad that his campaign is airing against Gingrich. CNN's Wolf Blitzer assured him the ad was his, and Gingrich needled him about it.

Romney also spent long segments explaining that his millions of dollars in personal wealth are invested by a trustee who keeps the details private to avoid conflicts of interest. Such sound bites might hurt Romney in a general election, which draws independent and Democratic voters who are likely to be more skeptical of a millionaire's hired accountants and complex investing than are some Republican activists.

On balance, however, Gingrich's supporters are likely to look back on the CNN debate and wonder what happened to the fire that boiled inside their champion Thursday morning, when he accused Romney of lies and gross hypocrisy.

One moment was especially telling. Blitzer asked Gingrich to explain his criticism of Romney's investments in, among other places, Swiss banks and Cayman Island accounts. Those locations sometimes are used to avoid U.S. taxes.

Gingrich, who often delights conservative crowds by lecturing or berating reporters, said the question was inappropriate for a presidential debate. Blitzer pressed on, saying Gingrich had made serious allegations about the investments, which Romney defends as above-board.

In what seemed a peace offering, Gingrich turned to Romney and said, "You want to try again?"

Romney answered with a verbal smack. "Wouldn't it be nice if people didn't make accusations somewhere else that they weren't willing to defend here?" he said coldly.

The moment was reminiscent of Tim Pawlenty's refusal in an August debate to repeat a sharp criticism he had recently made of Romney. Pawlenty, a former Minnesota governor, soon dropped out and endorsed Romney.

Romney seemed determined to attack Gingrich at the first opportunity, even at the risk of strained indignation. He pounced when Gingrich, pressed on whether Romney is "the most anti-immigrant candidate," said blandly, "I think, of the four of us, yes."

"That's simply inexcusable," Romney retorted.

Immigration is a sensitive issue among Florida's Hispanic voters. Gingrich recently dropped an ad that called Romney anti-immigrant, at the request of Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., whose parents are from Cuba.

Romney said Gingrich's comments were "the kind of over-the-top rhetoric that has characterized American politics too long." He said Gingrich should apologize.

Gingrich regained some of his populist groove late in the debate.

"One of the reasons I am running is, there has been an increasingly aggressive war against religion, and in particular against Christianity in this country, largely by a secular elite and the academic, news media and judicial areas," he said. "It's important to have some leadership that stands up and says, `Enough.'"

The campaign question for Gingrich is: Did he do enough in his two debate opportunities in Florida to maintain his eye-popping momentum from South Carolina?

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Charles Babington covers politics for The Associated Press.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politicsopinion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_an/us_gop_campaign_analysis

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Social gaming news roundup: Amazon, Tagged and DeNA

Tagged sunsetting hi5?s gaming network ? Social network Tagged has revealed what it will be doing with hi5, the rival social network it acquired in December. According to an interview on TechCrunch, the company will be sunsetting hi5?s gaming platform and replacing it with games developed by the Tagged team.

Zynga to release fourth quarter results on Valentines Day ? Zynga has announced it will hold its first earnings call as a public company on Tuesday, February 14th. The company will discuss its financial results for the full year of 2011 and its fourth quarter. The call is scheduled for 2:00 pm pacific, after the close of the stock market.

Amazon still hiring for mobile, social gaming - Amazon is ramping up its hiring of game developers for both mobile and social games, according to job postings spotted by Xconomy. The company?s a2z arm has positions open for mobile game developers, and in Seattle the company is recruiting specifically for social game positions. Last May Amazon posted a job for a game designer to lead the company in creating mobile and social games, which lead to the hiring of game industry vet Jonathan Tweet. While Amazon has been working on its gaming project for a number of months, so far no details have emerged.

Social game school opening in Japan ? Japan is getting a school specifically designed to help developers create social games according to Japanese industry watcher Serkan Toto. The aptly named Social Game Academy will open in April in Tokyo?s trendy Roppongi Hills district.

The Sims Social is surprisingly sexy ? According to some fun statistics released by EA, since the Sims Social debuted on Facebook, more than 11 million dirty jokes have been told and more than 70 million love confessions have been made. EA also noted that Sims in the game ?woohoo? more than 680,000 times a day.

Konami releasing Star Wars social game ? Siliconera is reporting Konami will be releasing a social game based on the Star Wars franchise, but only in Japan. The game will be called Star Wars Collection and will be on GREE?s mobile social network.

Virgin Gaming platform now has 1 million members ? According to Virgin, the company?s foray into a social gaming with its VirginGaming.com platform has paid off. The service has gathered more than 1 million members since it launched in June 2010.

Google+ now allowing nicknames and online handles ? Google+ has added support for alternate nicknames to its service. While it will still require users to register their real names, alternate names will now appear alongside a user?s name.

DeNA partnering with Mixi to open virtual shopping mall - Mobile social games company DeNA has signed a partnership with Japanese social network Mixi to open an online shopping mall on the Mixi platform. Penn Olson is reporting the virtual mall will open in late march.

Andreessen Horowitz looking for $1.5 billion more for VC funds ? The New York Times is reporting that Marc Andreessen is raising $1.5 billion to fuel two new funds at his high-profile venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The firm currently holds stakes in a number of well known social and mobile companies such as Zynga and Instagram.

Source: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2012/01/27/social-gaming-news-roundup-amazon-tagged-and-dena/

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Total Recall: Ed Harris's Best Movies

We count down the best-reviewed work of the Man on a Ledge star.

A prolific character actor with leading-man chops and four Oscar nominations under his belt, Ed Harris has been entertaining audiences for decades -- so when we saw his name in the credits for Man on a Ledge, we knew exactly what we needed to do with this week's list. From supporting parts to leading roles, from action to comedy to drama, Harris has done just about everything -- and done it well. The Tomatometer agrees, giving us a top 10 that bottoms out at an impressive 87 percent. Which of your favorites made the cut? It's time to find out, Total Recall style!

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87%

Can a life of violence ever really be left behind? Does a person who has committed violent acts deserve the chance to move beyond them -- even if he's tried to atone for his past? In his tense, gory adaptation of John Wagner and Vince Locke's A History of Violence, David Cronenberg asks these questions and comes away with a handful of suitably ambiguous answers -- but not before pitting seemingly ordinary restaurant owner Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) against a mobster (Ed Harris) who claims he has arrived to collect a debt from Stall's surprisingly shady past. "It's rare to find a filmmaker who can deliver such a message and keep us riveted every minute of screen time," wrote Bill Muller of the Arizona Republic. "But Cronenberg manages it, making A History of Violence one of his best, and most realistic, films ever."

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88%

1989's underwater epic The Abyss required the construction of the world's biggest tank of filtered fresh water, as well as newly designed watertight cameras and bleeding-edge special effects work from Industrial Light & Magic. It also required a lot of patience on the part of its cast (including Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, both of whom suffered emotional breakdowns during the grueling six-month shoot) and crew (including director James Cameron, who spent hours at a time under 50 feet of water) -- and the studio had its own cross to bear, enduring millions of dollars in cost overruns and weeks of delays. In the end, The Abyss wasn't as profitable as Cameron's other epics, only bringing in around $90 million against a $70 million budget, but critics were generally kind, particularly to the longer version that eventually surfaced on home video (Widgett Walls of Needcoffee.com called the theatrical release "an abomination" and wrote, "For God's sake, make sure you have the director's cut").

---

92%

It endured an infamously bumpy production period -- during which stars Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell went over Jonathan Demme's head to arrange edits and reshoots with a different director -- but even if Swing Shift didn't end up fulfilling Demme's original vision, critics still felt it effectively told the story of a war bride (Hawn) who enters the workforce (and starts an affair) during WWII while her husband (Harris) is overseas. Although more than a few viewers have taken issue with its soft-focused treatment of adultery, the picture's rich detail and well-written script impressed writers like Filmcritic's Pete Croatto, who observed, "Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson could learn a few things watching this. Or maybe they already have."

---

94%

Although it was roundly criticized for taking liberties with the facts of its subject's brief, fascinating life, the Patsy Cline biopic Sweet Dreams makes for a solidly compelling -- if at times frustratingly inaccurate -- film about the country star's (played by Jessica Lange) early years, short career, and tragic death, as well as her tumultuous marriage to the unfortunately named Charlie Dick (Harris). Earning Lange a Best Actress nomination for her work, Dreams won praise from critics like Time Out's Geoff Andrews, who wrote, "The two main performances are excellent: Lange plays the singer without a hint of condescension to her dreams of 'a big house with yellow roses', while Harris is persuasively menacing, with an inventively foul mouth."

---

94%

Ben Affleck made his directorial debut with this pitch-black thriller, adapted from the Dennis Lehane novel about a private investigator (Casey Affleck) who finds himself mixed up in the exceedingly shady case of a kidnapped girl. As he works with the cops (including Harris and Morgan Freeman) and his girlfriend/partner (Michelle Monaghan), it becomes clear that things are not what they seem. It's a basic framework that pretty much any filmgoer will be familiar with, but in Affleck's hands, Gone Baby Gone came alive; as Bruce Westbrook wrote for the Houston Chronicle, "A love-tolerate valentine to the city, it feels more real than the gangster-gorged mean streets of Martin Scorsese's The Departed, and just as tortured as Clint Eastwood's Mystic River."

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924369/news/1924369/

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President Obama?s class-warfare speech-Charles Gasparino - NYPOST.com

Three years after the Hope and Change president took office, Hope turns out to mean high taxes and lots of regulations, and Change consists of celebrating the government?s takeover of General Motors and belittling technological progress that destroys some jobs even as it creates others. The Great Uniter is all about class warfare.

Such was President Obama?s latest State of the Union Address.

At times during the speech Tuesday night, it was hard to hold a straight face. Here he was, telling us first how bad things are because of vast income inequalities that he wants to address through higher taxes on the rich, but also how much better things have been since he?s been elected, with 3 million jobs created in the last 22 months.

AP

Contradictions flying fast: Obama talks of cutting small-biz taxes ? and also raising them.

Huh? The jobs that were created came after the Republicans began to thwart his push for a huge tax hike like the one he?s still touting.

The contradictions flew hard and fast. The president wants more domestic-energy production, he says ? less than a week after he blocked the Keystone oil pipeline. He basically called for a trade war with China, even though he needs Beijing to help finance his endless spending.

He talked about expanding ?tax relief? for small businesses, which create many jobs during most normal economic recoveries. But he also called for higher tax rates on those same small businesses ? though he relabeled them ?millionaires? ? ignoring the fact that as small businesses, they file their taxes under the individual income-tax code.

His plan to tax small businesses is called the Buffett Rule, named after the president?s (and the media?s) favorite fat-cat investor, Warren Buffett. But Buffett made his billions feasting off of low taxes on capital gains ? and so avoiding the income-tax code.

Obama calls his economic plans ?common sense,? but wouldn?t it make more sense to offer that 15 percent tax rate (which helped Buffett become so successful) to small businesses, so they could expand and hire?

It?s said economics has never been Obama?s strong suit. Maybe that?s why he let left-wingers like Valerie Jarrett and David Plouffe chase away Bill Daley, Larry Summers and the other best economic minds in his administration.

Possibly the lowest point of the speech was the president?s portrayal of America as a nation of rigid classes, rather than a place to which millions of immigrants flock for opportunity, even during these tough times.

It?s one thing to beat up on the big banks that caused the financial crisis; it?s another to hammer any family that earns a combined income of $250,000 a year as ?millionaires,? pretending they didn?t work for their success and thus ought to pay the government more hard-earned money.

Will the great-uniter-turned-divider strategy work? The weak Republican field helps. Mitt Romney, once the GOP front-runner, offers nonsensical answers to questions about his years in private equity and how he accumulated his massive wealth. Newt Gingrich has surged largely by attacking Romney?s success.

But America is not (yet) Europe. People here still aspire to be rich more than they hate success, no matter how many times the media extols the virtues of Occupy Wall Street and its attacks on the 1 percent.

Plus, Obama is clearly alienating former supporters in the business community, like JP Morgan chief Jamie Dimon ? who has the distinction of running a bank that stayed away from the risk-taking that doomed the rest of the business.

Dimon, a life-long Democrat, backed Obama strongly in 2008, but now is undecided. He?s not crazy about the GOP?s right wing, but he also notes that he?s now ?barely a Democrat, because I think the left side of the party is really destructive.?

Too bad Obama doesn?t agree.

Have a comment on this PostOpinion column? Send it in to LETTERS@NYPOST.COM!

Source: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/adding_up_to_nothing_8K1eBN3afYXNELupfK8tRL

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Fight over full-fare rules takes bizarre turn

Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore

keepmyfareslow.org

By Rob Lovitt, msnbc.com contributor

Think the fight over the new rule from the Department of Transportation (DOT) requiring airlines to include all taxes and fees in their posted fares is over?

Think again. Even though the new rule is set to go into effect Thursday, it seems the battle is as intense as ever. Consider:

On Tuesday, Spirit Airlines, which is currently contesting the rule in court, launched a website called KeepMyFaresLow.org with the headline: Warning: New government regulations require us to HIDE taxes in your fares.

That brought a swift denunciation from Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, an advocacy group for corporate travel buyers. ?With this ill-considered attack on DOT, Spirit Airlines has reached a new low and no doubt secured the poster-child crown for 2012 for misleading consumers.?

Not so, countered Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza. ?Our view is that fares should be transparent and clear and that you should know what you?re paying your airline and what you?re paying in taxes,? he told msnbc.com.

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And then raising the specter of even higher taxes in these tax-averse times, he suggested the move toward full-fare advertising was ?an insidious way to then raise taxes on consumers? across the board. ?

?If the government is successful with this, it?s coming to everything you buy ? for cars, in restaurants, at big-box stores,? he said.

That ominous warning aside, the bottom line is that the new rule will go into effect on Thursday. Airlines will, indeed, be required to post fares that include all taxes and mandatory government fees. However, they?ll also be able to post information that shows the breakdown between the airline?s and the government?s respective portions.

?Nothing in our rule will prohibit a carrier from informing consumers that the fare includes a specified amount of taxes and government fees, as long as the stated fare includes those taxes and fees,? said DOT spokesman Bill Mosley. ?The carrier can then break out taxes and fees if it wishes.?

More stories you might like:

Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.

Source: http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10236937-fight-over-full-fare-rules-takes-bizarre-turn

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Annie Leibovitz opens new art show at Smithsonian (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Photographer Annie Leibovitz says she has come back from some dark days and revived her creativity with a new project now on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum that marks a departure from her popular celebrity portraits.

Two years ago, Leibovitz was facing millions in debt and a mismanaged fortune that nearly cost her the legal rights to her own work, which includes some of pop culture's most memorable images. The ordeal was a good lesson in managing her business, Leibovitz said, but left her "emotionally and mentally depleted."

On Tuesday, she led a tour through the photographs she says renewed her inspiration with a few road trips through U.S. history. The idea grew out of a book she had wanted to make with her partner, Susan Sontag, with a list of destinations and an excuse to visit them. After Sontag died, she eventually revived the idea with her young children.

It began with a six-hour drive to Niagara Falls during the period of her financial troubles only to find out her credit card had been rejected at a hotel and their rooms had been given away. While they found another place to stay, Leibovitz was upset wanted to go home. But she agreed to go to a lookout point at the waterfalls with her kids.

"I was sitting off to the side, feeling a little down, and I saw my children mesmerized, studying the falls," she said. "And I walked over, stood behind them ... and I took this picture."

It's a snapshot anyone could have taken, she said: an image that captures the blue-green water before it plunges over the falls. Soon she began thinking of other places to visit.

The images that would become "Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage" include depictions of landscapes and people, but no faces. Instead, Leibovitz photographed historic objects and scenes, including the homes of "Little Women" author Louisa May Alcott, essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, entertainer Elvis Presley and others.

"I was swept away when I walked into these places," she said. "I found myself taking pictures and not thinking about any consequences. I was seduced."

There were obstacles, though. One was coming to terms with photographing objects, she said, and finding a way to give them some emotion. She began creating close-up images, as with a nightdress worn by Emily Dickinson. Leibovitz zoomed in on the intricate detail.

"That is not my kind of picture. I mean, I don't ever come in tight like that," Leibovitz said. "It's not me."

It's also her first all-digital photography show. Leibovitz said she is still learning about new technology and about herself.

"This is an amazing time to be a photographer," she said. "I discovered things about myself which were really comforting ? that the work had a deep well, that it wasn't going to go away."

She also learned it was a mistake to let others manage her business affairs.

"I mean, I had a great ride," she said. "I was like a girl who went out and took pictures, and everyone else took care of everything else. Now I really do need to take care of everything."

Leibovitz didn't discuss the status of her debt but said she has good business advisers. "I'm back, for all intents and purposes," she said.

Her travels for "Pilgrimage" produced images of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud's couch, sharpshooter Annie Oakley's heart-shaped shooting target, Presley's Harley-Davidson and a TV he once shot with a gun at Graceland.

As a nod to Sontag, Leibovitz visited the home of Virginia Woolf, one of her partner's favorite writers, where she was happy to learn such a brilliant person could have such a messy studio, she said.

Andy Grundberg, guest curator for the show and a dean at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, said Leibovitz is presenting cultural history in a new way.

"She's trying to convey a sense of people without the people actually being there in front of the camera," he said of Leibovitz' travels. "She was kind of bushwhacking through our cultural legacy and figuring it out as she went along."

In some cases, one destination would lead to several others. Leibovitz was fascinated with the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, which led her to find Lincoln's top hat at the Smithsonian, models for Lincoln's statue in the studio of sculptor Daniel Chester French and a concert gown of Marian Anderson, who sang at the memorial when she was shut out of a segregated concert hall.

Leibovitz eventually compiled the project into a book that evolved into the new exhibit. The show is on view in Washington through May 20 and then will travel to U.S. museums through 2014. The photographs on display will be donated to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for its permanent collection.

Leibovitz said she pursued her new project to protect and nurture her lucrative portrait work by going back to it revived with new energy.

"It's a project I did for myself. I wanted to be seduced into a photograph and not make it up," she said. "And I wanted to take my time."

___

Smithsonian American Art Museum: http://americanart.si.edu

___

Brett Zongker can be reached at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/arts/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_en_ce/us_art_annie_leibovitz

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Romney says he favors 'self-deportation' (AP)

TAMPA, Fla. ? Mitt Romney said in Monday's GOP debate that he favors what he calls "self-deportation" over policies that require the federal government to round up illegal immigrants and return them to their home countries.

"The answer is self-deportation, which is people decide they can do better by going home because they can't find work here because they don't have legal documentation to allow them to work here," Romney said.

Romney's answer came after he was pressed on how he could be in favor of illegal immigrants returning to their home countries and applying for citizenship while also saying that he does not want the federal government to round people up and deport them.

Romney said that if employers enforce high standards for legal documentation of their employees, potential illegal immigrants will not be able to find work. He says this will allow the federal government to avoid having to round up people because they will leave on their own.

The federal government has previously experimented with a trial self-deportation program under the Bush Administration. It gave illegal immigrants up to 90 days to leave the country but was scrapped after two-and-half weeks in 2008 when it only produced eight volunteers. That left federal immigration officials vowing to intensify their efforts to track down illegal immigrants ? a policy Romney has said he does not support.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_debate_immigration

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NJ Dems firm on gay marriage despite veto threat (AP)

TRENTON, N.J. ? Republican Gov. Chris Christie vowed Tuesday to veto a gay marriage bill under consideration in the Legislature, upending Democrats' plans to revive a measure that failed two years ago and attempting to force lawmakers to put the issue on the ballot instead.

Recent polls show a majority of New Jerseyans support the right of same-sex couples to wed, while voters in 31 states have adopted constitutional amendments defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

Democrats who control the Legislature say the issue is one of civil rights; like a woman's right to vote or anti-discrimination measures, it doesn't belong on the ballot. With Christie seeking a referendum and Democratic leaders resisting, a protracted political standoff is likely.

Similar legislation failed in the Senate in 2010. Six states and Washington, D.C. permit gay marriages.

"Whether or not to redefine hundreds of years of societal and religious traditions should not be decided by 121 people in the Statehouse," Christie said. "Let the people of New Jersey decide what is right for the state."

Christie had said as recently as Monday he would consider the issue if the bill gained momentum in the Legislature, but then made his first explicit promise to veto the bill after a town hall event Tuesday in Bridgewater. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which was holding a hearing on the bill the same day, forwarded the measure to the full Senate hours later, on an 8-4 party-line vote.

"We are going to send this to the governor's desk somehow," said Senate Democratic leader Loretta Weinberg of Teaneck. "That I guarantee you."

With Christie's position now clear ? he staked out similar ground while campaigning for office in 2009 ? Republican lawmakers are expected to line up behind the governor regardless of how they feel personally about gay marriage. Democrats do not have veto-proof majorities in either house, dimming prospects for an override even if they get the bill through; not all Democrats support it.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat who is sponsoring the bill, said some Republicans support it.

"The governor should allow them to vote their conscience. His announcement today was to try to put a damper on what we're trying to do. It's not happening. We're not backing down. We're not giving up."

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver agreed, saying lawmakers would not shy away from the issue because it is difficult. The Assembly could begin considering the measure as early as next week.

Sweeney, who didn't always support gay marriage, abstained from voting on the measure the last time around, but later called his inaction the biggest mistake of his political career.

"For those who haven't made their minds up, or are leaning toward voting no, I urge you to take another look," Sweeney testified at the hearing. "How would you feel if your government told you you couldn't marry the person you love because of who you chose to love?"

Some of Tuesday's testimony was from same-sex couples who said the state's civil union law ? which conveys the benefits of marriage without the title ? doesn't work as intended.

John Grant and Daniel Weiss, an Asbury Park couple who are in a civil union, attended the session to support the legislation.

When Grant was in a life-threatening automobile accident and rushed to a New York hospital in 2010 ? before that state legalized gay marriage ? Weiss said he couldn't authorize badly needed surgery or even go through his partner's wallet to find his health insurance card. He said their civil union was essentially worthless; Grant's neurosurgeon even asked, "What is a civil union?"

Also Tuesday, 127 professors from 48 law schools around the country signed a letter saying New Jersey's civil union law cannot be fixed.

The professors, including former New Jersey Public Advocate Ron Chen, said the law granting gay couples the benefits of marriage without the title will never be equal to the right to marry.

The letter was sent to Christie, a Catholic, and the Legislature.

The legislation contains a religious opt-out clause, meaning no church clergy would be required to perform gay marriages; places of worship would not have to allow same-sex weddings at their facilities.

Nonetheless, several cited their religious beliefs as the reason to vote down the proposal.

"A vote for gay marriage is a vote against God," said Pat Necerato, a Millstone resident who operates an online ministry, though he is not ordained.

Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, a Monmouth County Republican who is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, said flaws in the civil union law should be addressed. For example, he encouraged the Health Department to investigate claims that civil unions are being ignored when one partner is hospitalized.

Dissatisfied with the civil union law enacted five years ago, New Jersey's gay rights organization, Garden State Equality, and same-sex couples have sued to force the state to allow gay couples to marry. The lawsuit is pending and is likely to be decided by the state Supreme Court.

Christie on Monday nominated an openly gay black man to the court. During the news conference that followed, he said he would look at the gay marriage bill if it gained traction, though he said he was not inclined to change his opposition.

___

Henry reported from Bridgewater.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/democrats/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_us/us_gay_marriage_nj

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Simon Cowell breaks off engagement

Simon Cowell's trip down the aisle is getting postponed.

In an interview with UK newspaper the Daily Mirror, the "X Factor" judge reveals that he and his fiancee, Mezhgan Hussainy, are taking a break from both their relationship and their wedding plans.

PHOTOS: See which Idol alums are engaged or have kids

"It's quite a complicated relationship. We have had a break from each other, and we are still incredibly close," the 52-year-old Brit explains in Sunday's Mirror . "I'm vulnerable. It's not on, it's not off, it's somewhere in the middle. I don't know if I will ever get married, but I am happy."

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Cowell and Hussainy met on the set of American Idol in 2003, where she was working as a makeup artist, and the couple got engaged in February 2010. At the time, Cowell, who's known for his emotionless demeanor, made it clear that he was very much over the moon.

"I'm smitten with Mezghan, I think she's the one," he gushed to the British TV host Piers Morgan. "She's very special...You know when you've found somebody very special."

PHOTOS: Revisit Simon's last season on Idol

But in Sunday's Mirror, Cowell alludes that the spark has fizzled out and he's regretting his remarks from two years ago.

Addressing his heartfelt quip on "Piers Morgan," Cowell says, "I have been pretty good about not talking about my private stuff, but I got caught up in the moment."

Copyright 2012 Us Weekly

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46095115/ns/today-entertainment/

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'The Artist' Wins Three at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards (ContributorNetwork)

On Sunday, January 15, 2012, the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards presented trophies to the best in film and television. Ricky Gervais returned for a third time, even after he caused controversy at last year's celebration. Celebrities waited with their breaths held to see what the comedian would say this time. Though "The Artist" won the most awards, the Golden Globe Awards was basically an equal opportunity giver on this night.

Ricky Gervais opened the Golden Globes by asking the audience if they were nervous. He immediately said the Golden Globes was second place to the Academy Awards. He pulled out a list of rules, supposedly of what was expected of him. Some of the audience seemed amused, with a few trying not to laugh. He mentioned celebrity scandals of past year. In a backhanded sort of way, he thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press for inviting him back.

"The Artist" topped the night with three Golden Globes. Jean Dujardin won best actor in a musical or comedy, and the movie won in the best original score and best motion picture - musical or comedy categories. "The Descendants" followed "The Artist" with two wins. George Clooney took home the trophy for best actor, and the movie won for motion picture - drama.

Other standouts in the motion picture categories included Christopher Plummer, who won for best supporting actor, Octavia Spenser for best supporting actress and Meryl Streep for best actress in a drama. Veteran actor Christopher Plummer humbly acknowledged his fellow nominees and his costar Ewan McGregor. He thanked his wife of 43 years, saying her bravery and beauty still haunts him.

The television categories spread trophies all over network television and cable. Laura Dern won for best actress in a television comedy. She beat past winner Tina Fey and veteran comedienne Amy Poehler. With all of the hype behind "New Girl," I thought Zooey Deschanel would pull the upset. First-time Golden Globe winners included Idris Elba for best actor for the television mini-series "Luther" and Matt LeBlanc for best actor in a comedy series.

Kelsey Grammar, who won Golden Globes for his comedic work, received the trophy for best actor in a drama for his work on "Boss." With two Golden Globes, "Homeland" took home the most television awards. Claire Danes won for best actress in a drama, and the show won for best drama series.

The Golden Globes presented the Cecil B. DeMille Award to Morgan Freeman. Golden Globe and Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier introduced Freeman, receiving a standing ovation when he came on stage. Pointier called Freeman a prince in his chosen profession. Helen Mirren introduced a montage of his 50 films, even joking that she only got to play in one of them.

The night was full of surprises. Gervais was generally contained during the ceremony. Occasionally, he said something that was right on the boundary that could be funny or offensive. The Golden Globes also distributed the awards across the board, not letting one television production or movie dominate the categories. It was refreshing to hear different names being read and people being honored for stepping away from characters that became emblazoned on the minds of the public. Hopefully, audiences will hear new names next year.

List of Nominees and Winners:

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"

Albert Brooks - "Drive"

Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"

Viggo Mortensen - "A Dangerous Method"

Christopher Plummer - "Beginners" (winner)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Laura Dern - "Enlightened" (HBO) (winner)

Zooey Deschanel - "New Girl" (FOX)

Tina Fey - "30 Rock" (NBC)

Laura Linney - "The Big C" (SHOWTIME)

Amy Poehler - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

"Cinema Verite" (HBO)

"Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)" (PBS) (winner)

"The Hour" (BBC America)

"Mildred Pierce" (HBO)

"Too Big to Fail" (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Romola Garai - "The Hour" (BBC America)

Diane Lane - "Cinema Verite" (HBO)

Elizabeth McGovern - "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)" (PBS)

Emily Watson - "Appropriate Adult" (ITV)

Kate Winslet - "Mildred Pierce" (HBO) (winner)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama

Steve Buscemi - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)

Bryan Cranston - "Breaking Bad" (AMC)

Kelsey Grammer - Boss" (STARZ) (winner)

Jeremy Irons - "The Borgias" (SHOWTIME)

Damian Lewis - "Homeland" (SHOWTIME)

Television Series - Drama

"American Horror Story" (FX)

"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)

"Boss" (STARZ)

"Game of Thrones" (HBO)

"Homeland" (SHOWTIME) (winner)

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

"The Artist" - Ludovic Bource (winner)

"W.E." - Abel Korzeniowski

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

"Hugo" - Howard Shore

"War Horse" - John Williams

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

"Gnomeo and Juliet" - "Hello Hello" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

"Machine Gun Preacher" - "The Keeper" by Chris Cornell

"Albert Nobbs" - "Lay Your Head Down" by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close"

"The Help" - "The Living Proof" by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas

"W.E." - "Masterpiece" by Madonna, Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry (winner)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Hugh Bonneville - "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)" (PBS)

Idris Elba - "Luther" (BBC One) (winner)

William Hurt - "Too Big to Fail" (HBO)

Bill Nighy - "Page Eight Masterpiece" (PBS)

Dominic West - "The Hour" (BBC America)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

Jodie Foster - "Carnage"

Charlize Theron - "Young Adult"

Kristen Wiig - "Bridesmaids"

Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn" (winner)

Kate Winslet - "Carnage"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Peter Dinklage - "Game of Thrones" (HBO) (winner)

Paul Giamatti - "Too Big to Fail" (HBO)

Guy Pearce - "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)

Tim Robbins - "Cinema Verite" (HBO)

Eric Stonestreet - "Modern Family" (ABC)

Best Animated Feature Film

"The Adventures of Tintin" (winner)

"Arthur Christmas"

"Cars 2"

"Puss in Boots"

"Rango"

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris" (winner)

George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon - "The Ides of March"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne, Jim Rash - "The Descendants"

Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian - "Moneyball"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Jessica Lange - "American Horror Story" (FX) (winner)

Kelly MacDonald - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)

Sofia Vergara - "Modern Family" (ABC)

Evan Rachel Wood - "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)

Maggie Smith - "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)" (PBS)

Best Foreign Language Film

"The Flowers of War" (China)

"In the Land of Blood and Honey" (United States"

"The Kid with a Bike" (Belgium)

"A Separation" (Iran) (winner)

"The Skin I Live In" (Spain)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama

Claire Danes - "Homeland" (SHOWTIME) (winner)

Mireille Enos - "The Killing" (AMC)

Julianna Margulies - "The Good Wife" (CBS)

Madeleine Stowe - "Revenge" (ABC)

Callie Thorne - "Necessary Roughness" (USA)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical

David Duchovny - "Californication" (SHOWTIME)

Johnny Galecki - "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)

Thomas Jane - "Hung" (HBO)

Matt LeBlanc - "Episodes" (SHOWTIME) (winner)

Alec Baldwin - "30 Rock" (NBC)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain - "The Help"

Janet McTeer - "Albert Nobbs"

Octavia Spencer - "The Help" (winner)

Shailene Woodley - The Descendants"

Best Director - Motion Picture

Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"

George Clooney - "The Ides of March"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"

Martin Scorsese - "Hugo" (winner)

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

"Enlightened" (HBO)

"Episodes" (SHOWTIME)

"Glee" (FOX)

"Modern Family" (ABC) (winner)

"New Girl" (FOX)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

Jean Dujardin - "The Artist" (winner)

Brendan Gleeson - The Guard"

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - "50/50"

Owen Wilson - "Midnight in Paris"

Ryan Gosling - "Crazy, Stupid, Love"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

Glenn Close - "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis - "The Help"

Rooney Mara - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep - "Iron Lady" (winner)

Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

"50/50"

"The Artist" (winner)

"Bridesmaids"

"Midnight in Paris"

"My Week with Marilyn"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

George Clooney - "The Descendents" (winner)

Leonardo DiCaprio - "J. Edgar"

Michael Fassbender - "Shame"

Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

Ryan Gosling - "The Ides of March"

Best Motion Picture - Drama

"The Descendants" (winner)

"The Help"

"Hugo"

"The Ides of March"

"Moneyball"

"War Horse"

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120122/en_ac/10840083_the_artist_wins_three_at_the_69th_annual_golden_globe_awards

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