Grammy spotlight shines on Adele (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? The Grammys in recent years have targeted young audiences even as older acts won key awards to the surprise of some music fans, but this Sunday's honors will shine its spotlight on Adele, whose popularity crosses all age boundaries.

The soulful British singer, whose album "21" has spawned massive hits like "Rolling in the Deep" and topped charts for 19 weeks, enters music industry's biggest awards with six nominations, second only to rapper Kanye West with seven.

But all ears will be tuned in to Adele, 23, who is scheduled to give a Grammy performance that is her first since undergoing throat surgery late last year. And everybody -- young and old -- wants to know if 2011's top-selling performer has recovered.

"My eight-year-old daughter sings Adele songs, and my friend's 75-year-old grandmother sings Adele songs," said Nic Harcourt, former radio host at KCRW, who is among those credited with helping put the British chanteuse on the U.S. music map.

Adele's voice was a breath of fresh air in 2011 for a struggling industry. "21" album sold more copies in one year than any other act since Usher's "Confessions" in 2004. Its current U.S. sales total is roughly 6.3 million copies.

In years past, the Grammys have often seen relative newcomers in top categories like album of the year face off against veteran acts, only to see the older performers win, shocking the youth-driven industry. Herbie Hancock's 2007 jazz album, "River: The Joni Letters," was among the recent surprises.

That won't happen at Sunday's ceremony in Los Angeles. Competing for album of the year are Adele with "21," Lady Gaga for "Born This Way," Rihanna with "Loud," Bruno Mars for "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" and Foo Fighters for "Wasting Light."

Indeed, many of the major categories are dominated by younger pop stars like Adele, Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna. Traditional rockers are largely missing, with the exception of legends Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen who are both set to perform at Sunday's show in Los Angeles.

ADELE, NO POP CONFECTION

But in an ironic twist, Adele gained stardom precisely because she has appealed to so many audience groups with her soulful ballads such as "Someone Like You" that sound like a throwback in an industry dominated by electronic dance music.

"She's got a little more substance and is not just a pop confection. With a classic sound, veteran Grammy voters will have no problem supporting her, while she also reaches the young," said Bob Merlis, president of MFH Publicity.

Adele's singles have been played on multiple radio formats, helping to sell albums to older consumers as well as younger fans who tend to buy music online.

David Bakula, senior vice president, analytics of entertainment for Nielsen said Adele has "gone beyond the bounds of a simple pop artist, which appeals to a younger, more singles-driven crowd. Katy Perry's a good example of a star who sells tons of singles, but not tons of albums."

Elsewhere, Kanye West's seven nods crown a critical and commercial comeback for the controversial 34-year-old rapper who took a self-imposed hiatus from performing in 2009.

West recorded his best rap album contender "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" in Hawaii after removing himself from the mainstream music scene following harsh criticism over his 2009 outburst involving country starlet Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Already a 14-time Grammy winner, he is nominated for song of the year for "All of the Lights" and best rap performance with Jay-Z for "Otis".

The best new artist category reflects an eclectic mix of artists, from female rapper Nicki Minaj and hip-hop artist J. Cole, to country sensations The Band Perry, house and electropop performer Skrillex and American folk band Bon Iver.

"Rhinestone Cowboy" singer Glen Campbell, 75, currently on a

goodbye tour after announcing he has early stage Alzheimer's disease, will receive a lifetime achievement award and will perform with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton.

Other performers will include veteran crooner Tony Bennett -- who is nominated for his "Body and Soul" duo with the late Amy Winehouse -- Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson and Chris Brown.

Bonnie Raitt will perform in remembrance of "At Last" singer Etta James, who died in January at the age of 73, and rapper and "NCIS: Los Angeles" actor LL Cool J will be the first official host of the Grammy Awards in seven years.

Winners are determined by about 13,000 members of the Recording Academy, but only a handful of trophies in the 78 categories will be handed out on Sunday's live telecast.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120208/music_nm/us_grammys

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Roche breast cancer drug gets FDA priority review (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Health regulators granted a priority review for an experimental Roche breast cancer drug that in clinical trials added six months to the time before the disease worsened.

The Food and Drug Administration will make its decision on whether to approve pertuzumab by June 8, Roche's Genentech unit said on Tuesday.

With priority review status, the FDA decides whether to approve a drug within six months, rather than the usual 10- to 12-month review period. The agency grants priority review to products that are considered to be potentially significant therapeutic advancements over existing therapies.

In a pivotal clinical trial, patients who received pertuzumab in combination with Herceptin -- another Roche breast cancer drug -- and a chemotherapy agent lived for an average of 18.5 months without their tumors growing. That compared with 12.4 months for those who got only Herceptin and the chemo drug.

Overall survival data from that trial is not expected to be available until 2013, but the FDA apparently found the available progression-free survival data compelling enough to makes its decision prior to that.

Pertuzumab, a biotechnology drug, is being considered for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer who have not received prior treatment or who have suffered a relapse following surgery.

(Reporting By Bill Berkrot; editing by John Wallace)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120207/hl_nm/us_roche_breast

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Computer science on the rise | Spectrum

Jeremy Budd?s story from today?s paper highlights the rising trend of people majoring in computer science at Columbia and nationwide. We caught up with six students studying comp sci or computer engineering, and here?s what they had to say about why it appealed to them.

Pierre Gergis, CC ?12
When I first took the introductory course in computer science (1004), I had no idea what it was to program?where they?re written, how they?re run, and whether I could accidentally break my computer by running one of my own. But I took the class because I wanted a challenge, and exposure to a field that was thoroughly foreign to me, yet clearly intimately influential in daily experiences.

There?s more after the jump!

What I discovered is that computer science is an art. It gives students a chance to learn systematic reasoning and efficient use of available tools to solve a problem and walk away with something tangible. The hook is submitting the product of many hours of labor?a small game, for example?that you are certain works flawlessly. Its functionality is the same as any other correct solutions your classmates have submitted, but yours is special in some way. It has your style, your fingerprint in the way it runs, and in the code, its very fabric.

Computer science is technical and tough, but it has applications and academic appeal to a wide variety of disciplines, from pure math to philosophy to linguistics to anthropology. So whether you?re curious about what?s going on in artificial intelligence research, or you just want to know more about how the Internet works, if you have any interest in exercising your creative logical reasoning, I actively encourage you to try your hand at computer science.

Andy Lamping, CC ?12
I?ve always enjoyed computers; I enjoy problem solving, analytical thinking, and the concrete answers that come from the sciences. I think more and more jobs will need comp sci knowledge, and I like how comp sci and programming can create new things.

Andrew Grant, CC ?12
I originally took it because I was interested in the 3-2 program (which I ended up not doing), and COMS1004 was a requirement. However, I continued taking CS classes because I found the programming assignments fun! Through the assignments you build really cool programs that perform real world functions (e.g. a virtual MetroCard machine).

Though programming can at times be frustrating (especially at first, but stick with it!), it?s pretty satisfying when you end up with a program that took 20 hours to build. I think people should study it because of its relevance; computers and technology permeate the modern world. It can also open up your career opportunities.

Alison Cooper, CC ?14
The idea of being able to do things, outside of just knowing things, was extremely appealing in terms of the independence and capabilities it confers. In the beginning, this had nothing to do with archaeology, except on a conceptual level. I was fascinated by how much human communication has changed over time and how much technology has changed over time. To me, before I knew any of the details, computer science quite basically seemed like a new sphere of communication. I still think that?s true, but I?m a lot more interested in what I can do with computer science to accomplish studying archaeology in a more sophisticated, 21st century-oriented way.

Also, graphics seemed like a way I could be creative and have fun in science, and not have to deal with the politics of getting grants, which stifles biologists? creativity. That?s because one can be creative with computer science in anything. It?s a lot freer?one can get involved in any field with it. Since I have no idea what I really want to do with my life, and CS is extremely versatile, this seemed like a smart way to go.

Oh wait, we?ve got some engineers too.

Tim Giel, SEAS ?13
(I?m studying computer engineering but it?s basically the same thing as comp sci.)

I got into it because I like working with computers and there?s sort of a satisfying feel about being able to create something that you can see work right in front of you. People should be interested in comp sci because it is involved in almost every aspect of life. Pretty much everything we use today was affected by a computer in some way or another.

Mikey Zhong, SEAS ?13
Originally did econ because I wanted to be Jeffrey Sachs/World Bank person. Realized I wasn?t smart enough or hard-working enough to get a PhD to do econ policy. So switched to comp sci because I felt like it was the only other major where I could impact the world on a large scale.

Mikey Zhong is a former Spectrum editor.

Source: http://spectrum.columbiaspectator.com/spectrum/computer-science-on-the-rise

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Liquid glasses and a new smartphone app could bring perfect vision to the third world (Yahoo! News)

New tech may bring sight to the 1 billion in need

The need is compelling: Over 1 billion people in the third world need?corrective eyewear but lack access to testing and glasses. The solution is spectacularly?innovative: A $2 scope attached to a?smartphone tests for vision defects, and a new pair of adjustable glasses with liquid lenses fixes the problem.

It may seem simple enough, but there's a lot more to an eye exam than looking at a chart. A modern eye exam requires expensive machinery that is very difficult to transport to the areas of Africa that need it most. The new smartphone tool by?EyeNetra effectively replaces the large machine with a hand-sized phone using a series of calculations derived from tracking the eye. Best of all, the scope needed to conduct the exam can be obtained for just $2 ? a very charity-friendly price point.

To some?ophthalmologists, the test isn't quite perfect. It lacks the ability for doctors to try out different corrective lenses during the test, a way of verifying the calculated results. And it cannot check for dangerous eye diseases such as glaucoma. Still, it represents a huge advance in making corrected vision a universal right.

But the EyeNetra scope isn't the only advance in eye care tech being offered to the developing world. Silicone company?Dow Corning is currently partnering with the?Centre for Vision in the Developing World to test a new adjustable liquid silicon eyeglass called Adspecs. A pair of pumps attached to the glasses fill a pair of plastic lenses with silicon oil until the shape needed to correct a patient's vision is obtained. Screws are then tightened to lock the lens shape into place. The pumps and tubing are then removed, leaving the patient with a normal-looking pair of glasses.

[Image source:?Global Vision 2020]

(Source)

This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20120207/tc_yblog_technews/liquid-glasses-and-a-new-smartphone-app-could-bring-perfect-vision-to-the-third-world

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Social Sciences Communication, Anthropology And Sociology

DK Number: DK-200821
ISBN: 9788131718834 ?
Imprint: Delhi : Longman ; New Delhi : Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture, Centre for Studies in Civilizations,
Physical Desc.: xxx, 549 p. ; 29 cm. ?
Series Information: (History of science, philosophy and culture in Indian civilization ; v. 14 pt. 2)
Year: c2010
Price: USD 103.60
Nature Or Scope: Contributed articles.
Subject Strings: Communication?Social aspects?India.
Tribes?India.
Ethnology?India.
India?Social conditions.

Series: History of science, philosophy, and culture in Indian civilization

Symbolic forms like aural sounds, oral expressions, signs and languages are communicative sources that help social scientists understand social phenomena and enable them to postulate the concepts and methodologies of social sciences. Communication of this kind is the organic basis of disciplines of social anthropology and sociology even as a theory of the society in which communication is spatially situated is essential to evolve an adequate theory of communication. This volume explores the interface between communication, sociology and anthropology, examining the advances made in these disciplines by referring to advancements made in Western social sciences. It presents an overview of the theoretical and cultural dimensions of the forms and processes of communication in India. In this context, it covers traditional forms of communication and their interface with theory by referring to folk culture and the construction of the notion of community in communication researches. The comprehensive volume with articles by experts highlights the forms of communication and its effects on institutions related to the social and cultural domains such as language and identity and national political mobilisation. It examines the interface of the communication processes with culture and its implications for social change by delving into aspects of popular culture and the challenges of globalisation. The scholarly essays deal with sociological and anthropological issues of contemporary significance including tribal social structure and formation, debates on the concepts of tribe and caste, the sociology of professions and entrepreneurship as emergent facets of sub-structures and sub-cultures in India in the process of social change, and the changing interface between religion and culture. The essays also cover Dalit consciousness and sociology of gender. Yogendra Singh, the editor, is Professor Emeritus at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Source: http://hotnews.blogspages.com/2012/02/04/social-sciences-communication-anthropology-and-sociology/

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Source: http://ekrashmegh.blogspot.com/2012/02/social-sciences-communication.html

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James Zogby: Dealing with Iran

If we are to believe what we are hearing and reading from a variety of confirmed and unconfirmed sources, in Israel and the U.S., some day in the next few months we may wake up to the news that Israel has bombed Iran's nuclear facilities. Or maybe not.

The Israelis appear to be deeply divided on the issue, sending mixed signals, almost daily, about their intentions, their capacity to execute such a mission, and even whether or not Iran's reputed program poses an imminent danger.

The U.S. is tied up in knots of its own making. Being in the throes of an election, no one wants to appear critical of Israel. And so while concerned with the consequences of a unilateral Israeli strike, statements from official Washington or from presidential aspirants range from hand-wringing and feigned powerlessness to full-throated support for any action Israel may take.

Last week's New York Times Magazine had a feature piece arguing that Israel's calculations as to whether or not they should go forward with a strike against Iran would be based on answers to a series of questions--whether they thought they could; whether they could withstand the "blow-back"; whether they could count on at least tacit American support; etc. With the answers to all of the above in the affirmative, Israelis might go forward with an attack.

For their part, the Iranians, apparently loving the attention they are receiving, have engaged in provocative actions of their own and their fair share of rhetorical excess. Lost in this deadly game are a number of serious issues that should be considered--but, in all probability will not be.

In the first place, the matter of whether or not Iran is on a trajectory to build a bomb is not an incidental one. The last IAEA report, despite efforts to mischaracterize its findings, was not conclusive. At best, it hedged.

Next to consider is the exact nature of the threat posed by a nuclear Iran. While Israel projects itself as facing an "existential" challenge from Iran, this is hyperbolic nonsense. An Iranian attack on Israel would amount to Iran signing its own death warrant. It is a horror even to image, but the reality is that a nuclear attack anywhere in Israel, would murder tens of thousands of innocents, Jews and Arabs, with radiation fallout spreading death and deformity over a wide radius that would infect hundreds of thousands more in the neighborhood (depending on the wind, to Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan or the occupied Palestinian lands). In other words, in the aftermath of any attack, not only would Iran be destroyed, but its fate would be sealed forever in the Arab and Muslim world--a consideration that could not be lost on the regime's leadership. The bottom line: there is no "first use".

Iran's real intention is the dangerous game of bragging rights. And their target audience is across the Gulf. Their recent effort to recast the "Arab Spring" as an "Islamic Awakening" being led by the Islamic Republic provided a case in point. Hoping that no one would notice their own brutal repression of their home-grown democracy movement and their support for the bloody crackdown against the uprising in Syria, the Iranians still seek to prey on Arab anger at the West projecting themselves as being in the vanguard of Arab revulsion at the excesses of imperialism and Zionism.

If this is the game, then Israeli saber-rattling and American outrage play right into Iran's hand. By exaggerating the threat posed by this regime, by pretending that it is a menace equal to Nazi Germany of the Soviet Union, the West succeeds only in giving the Iranians what they want most--an inflated sense that they are a real power to be feared.

Make no mistake, the regime in Tehran is a meddlesome menace and their aspirations for regional hegemony do pose a threat, not to Israel (which serves more Iran's foil, then its target, and vice versa), but to the Arab Gulf States--whose concerns are rarely, if ever, considered in U.S. political discourse.

My concern is that the escalating rhetoric by all sides poses a danger, in itself. The region is a tinderbox, and it is as if everyone is too busy playing with matches to think of the consequences of their behavior.

Better than threats, which only serve to embolden Iran, I would suggest a combination of direct engagement (which has been tried too little), continued targeted sanctions (which are having a real impact) and a bit of ridicule. What, one might ask the leaders of Iran, will they do with their nuclear program and their provocation? Can it feed their people, rebuild their neglected and decayed infrastructure, give hope to their unemployed young, or secure their role in the community of nations? Rather than play their game, reduce them down to size. Look at the region, as it is. As democracy movements advance in North Africa, and as the Gulf States make significant progress, providing a model for development and growth, Iran remains trapped in an archaic system which feeds off of fear and anger, and goes nowhere.

There are lessons to be learned in order to avoid a confrontation from which no one will emerge a winner. Those in the U.S. who point to Israel's 1981 strike against Iraq, conveniently ignore the fact that Saddam emerged undeterred. The next two decades witnessed Iraq and Iran engaging in an orgy of blood-letting, in part leading to Iraq's fatal occupation of Kuwait and all that followed. Then there were Israel's repeated invasions, occupations and bombardments of Lebanon which only devastated that country, leading to the emergence and empowering of Hizbollah. Or Israel's war and strangulation policy against Gaza which only resulted in death and destruction, increasing bitterness and a deepening Palestinian divide, making the search for peace more difficult.

The point is that it would be wise to call a halt to the escalating rhetoric for an attack on Iran; recognize the real danger posed by Iran to its own people and to its neighbors; stop enabling the Israeli and Iranian game of "chicken" with each other, when the unintended consequences of their continued dance with death will be felt not only by themselves, but by so many others; and develop a sane approach to dealing with a problem that must be faced and can't simply be bombed or threatened away.

?

Follow James Zogby on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AAIUSA

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/dealing-with-iran_b_1254542.html

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Consolidation Loans | First Person: Making The Most Of My Credit ...

2012/02/04 ? 01:04:47

*Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Do you have a personal finance story that you?d like to share? Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles.

I was financially clueless when I was young. I never balanced my checkbook. I used my ATM card to run balance checks. I spent unwisely. I also had health issues without having health insurance. That gave me buckets of debt when I had no idea how to deal with it. I sought help through a credit counseling service and learned a great deal.

Not all credit counseling services are the same. Some are genuinely there to help you. Others want to sell debt consolidation loans. I ran into several of the loan-sales kind before finding an objective one.

I brought a lot of paperwork with me to the first meeting with my counselor. It was a similar stack to the one I give my accountant at tax time. There were copies of every bill, bank statement and financial document I could find. It takes a bunch of paperwork to help someone else get a clear picture of your financial life.

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It was all necessary, allowing the counselor to analyze where every cent flowed in and out of my life. When you look deeply at your finances the amount of waste can be shocking. It stunned me to learn how much I spent on non-essential things.

That was critical information to have since step two was creating a very specific budget. The budget took the information from the first step and detailed how I would use what money I had. It showed me how to cut wasteful spending. The counselor was very thorough, accounting for things that I?d have missed ? even the annual cost of haircuts. When he finished I had a workable plan that would get me out of debt.

My counselor was also realistic. He urged me not to agree to a spartan budget if I did not think I could stick to it. He included reasonable leisure money in the budget. Avoid any counselor who insists you should live like a monk. You may find it impossible to follow such a plan ? I know I would have.

We discussed several options. One was a consolidation loan, an idea he discouraged but which he had several referrals for if I chose it. He made me feel I was not being herded into a loan that would make him money. He also discussed bankruptcy and suggested that if I wanted to entertain that route to speak with a qualified attorney.

When going through credit counseling you should seek out that kind of open-minded approach. Beware counselors who only discuss one option. Even if secondary options are less useful your counselor should discuss them reasonably and show mathematically why some make more sense than others.

In the end I went with the proposed budget. It took some time to pay off my debt but I finished the process with a sense of pride in having made good on my commitments. I learned that I can live more frugally and that having a structured plan is a key element in successful debt management.

If you ever feel the weight of high debt and seek credit counseling you may find it to be a helpful process that provides you the roadmap you need to navigate clear. It certainly did for me. It takes time but it?s worth it ? personally and financially.

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