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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Webmail Giants Team Up To Stop Phishing Scams [Security]
93% Pina
All Critics (69) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (5) | DVD (1)
This meditation on movement and space, transportation and transcendence is not to be missed.
What the filmmaker has created is an inspired simulacrum - a jewel-box that contains more of Bausch's kinetic soul than film has any right to.
Crane and steadycam allow Wenders to get so close to the action that in the minimalist Caf? M?ller, one's illusion of being on stage is uncanny.
"Pina"is the best possible tribute to Bausch, and to adventurous image-making.
I watched the film in a sort of reverie.
Whether you're familiar with Pina Bausch's work or not, the new film "Pina" is a knockout.
This seems like a ripping good idea. In practice, "Pina" turns out to have a few problems.
Suggests thrilling new possibilities for the marriage of movies and dance.
Even for someone who would rather count sheep than attend a ballet, these scenes are nothing short of astonishing, beautifully presenting dance's ability to depict words.
You won't hear the names Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor or Bob Fosse breathed herein.
An exhilarating experience, both in its celebration of Bausch's groundbreaking work and in the thrilling way that Wenders captures it on camera.
It's not an overview of Bausch's career or a statement on her art, but a celebration of her work and the dancers who bring it to life.
This is a stunning film, a glorious homage to modern dance and one of its premier authors and the best justification of 3D technology to date.
With a breakout use of 3D for artistic rather than solely commercial blockbuster purposes, German director Wim Wenders gives extraordinary life to the work of choreographer Pina Bausch.
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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pina_3d/
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Monday, January 30, 2012
China paper says punish Philippines over US ties (AP)
BEIJING ? An official Chinese newspaper says Beijing must punish the Philippines economically for proposing closer military ties with Washington.
The nationalist tabloid Global Times, published by the Communist Party's People's Daily, said Sunday that China must pressure Manila to abandon cooperation with the U.S.
China and the Philippines, along with other nations, are locked in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, and Beijing sees the U.S. as an unwelcome interloper in that dispute.
U.S. and Philippine officials agreed last week to increase cooperation in various areas including maritime security and defense. The Philippines said it is considering more joint military exercises and a greater presence by American troops.
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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 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 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 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."
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
Romney seeks to knock out Gingrich in Florida (Reuters)
PENSACOLA/PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (Reuters) ? Bolstered by positive poll numbers, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Saturday sought to vanquish rival Newt Gingrich in Florida with a biting new ad about ethics charges and a mocking tone about his debate complaints.
Just days ahead of a pivotal primary race that could determine who has the momentum to win the Republican state-by-state nominating battle, Romney and Gingrich traveled around Florida in a final weekend pitch to undecided voters.
Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts and off-and-on front-runner to take on Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election, needs a victory on Tuesday to regain his footing after losing badly to Gingrich in the South Carolina primary vote last weekend.
Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, needs a Florida win to solidify the frontrunner mantle he took on after his resounding victory in the third nominating contests.
"If we win Florida, I will be the nominee," Gingrich declared at a golf facility in Port St. Lucie.
Polls show Romney with an edge, however, and the former private equity executive used his momentum and financial muscle to draw up a closing argument that Gingrich's behavior in Congress made him unfit to be the Republican Party's leader.
In a simple ad titled "History Lesson" -- a play on Gingrich's background as a historian -- Romney's campaign showed footage of an NBC television anchor's news report the day Democrats and Republicans found him guilty of ethics violations in 1997.
"Newt Gingrich, who came to power, after all, preaching a higher standard in American politics, a man who brought down another Speaker on ethics accusations, tonight he has on his own record the judgment of his peers, Democrat and Republican alike," anchor Tom Brokaw says in the report, which makes up the entire ad.
Gingrich denies wrongdoing.
CONTROVERSY
The ad drew controversy from television network NBC, which reported it asked the Romney team to remove the newscast material from the ad. Romney's campaign said it had not received the request from NBC.
Gingrich and Romney have sought to tear each other down in the run-up to the Florida election, fighting over who is best equipped to beat Obama. Gingrich has boasted of carrying on the legacy of the late President Ronald Reagan, a hero to conservatives, while pushing for the anti-establishment support of the Tea Party.
"I can run with a history - not a theory, not a promise - that we can create jobs by unleashing the American people," Gingrich told a pastel-clad crowd of golf fans at the PGA golf facility, criticizing Romney as not being a true conservative.
Don Brigham, 60, a golf pro from Port St. Lucie, said Gingrich's comments helped him make up his mind about whom to support.
"I was undecided, but I loved what I heard," he said. "I was very impressed with his personality. It's a two-man race on the Republican side. I was very impressed with his message. He pretty much spoke to my political beliefs."
But Romney's strong performances in two recent debates -- venues that have usually favored Gingrich -- have resonated with more voters, polls show.
Romney opened up a lead of 8 percentage points over Gingrich in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday, beating him by 41 percent to 33 percent among likely voters in Florida's Republican primary.
The momentum fueled confidence in Romney, who mocked his rival for complaining about audience participation in their television debates.
"We've had about 18 debates so far, and they're getting more and more fun as time goes on," Romney said at one campaign event.
"This last one Speaker Gingrich said he didn't do so well because the audience was so loud. The one before he said he didn't do so well because the audience was too quiet. This is like Goldilocks."
Romney won in New Hampshire and former Senator Rick Santorum won the first contest in Iowa.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted on Thursday and Friday, partially capturing likely voters after the most recent debate.
Santorum trailed with 13 percent and Texas Congressman Ron Paul came in at the bottom with 5 percent support.
(Additional reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Jeff Mason; Editing by Vicki Allen)
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Saturday, January 28, 2012
Hillary Clinton dodging political 'high wire' (AP)
WASHINGTON ? Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she wants to step off the "high wire of American politics" after two decades and is again tamping down speculation that she might stay in government if President Barack Obama wins a second term.
Clinton told State Department employees on Thursday that she is ready for a rest and is paying no attention to the Republican presidential candidate debates. She said she wants to find out just how tired she is after working flat out as first lady, senator, aspiring presidential candidate and finally the top U.S. diplomat.
"I have made it clear that I will certainly stay on until the president nominates someone and that transition can occur" if Obama wins re-election, she told a town hall meeting. "But I think after 20 years, and it will be 20 years, of being on the high wire of American politics and all of the challenges that come with that, it would be probably a good idea to just find out how tired I am."
But, she appeared to leave the door open for a possible eventual return, adding to laughter from the crowd that "everyone always says that when they leave these jobs."
As secretary of state, Clinton is barred from partisan politics and she acknowledged that it is unusual not to be participating in this election season. But, she said she is enjoying being away from the fray and hasn't watched any of the GOP debates.
"It is a little odd for me to be totally out of an election season," she said. "But, you know, I didn't watch any of those debates."
Clinton said she expected the campaign for November's election to "suck up a lot of the attention" normally devoted to foreign policy issues but she joked that that might actually help the State Department.
"The good news is maybe we can even get more done if they are not paying attention, so just factor that in."
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T-Mobile urges Congress, FCC to keep spectrum auctions competitive
T-Mobile may be getting a new batch of spectrum as a result of its failed merger with AT&T, but it's obviously going to always be on the hunt for more, and it's now urging Congress to ensure that the playing field for future auctions is level for all bidders big and small. Specifically, it's asking members of Congress to reconsider some pending legislation that it says would "effectively preclude the FCC from considering existing spectrum holdings in determining the qualifications for participation in auctions." That, it suggests, would put smaller players like itself at a disadvantage to the big spectrum holders in future auctions (namely, AT&T and Verizon), and would represent a drastic break from the past twenty years -- during which it says the FCC has continued to fine-tune it's process to ensure "pro-competitive auction rules." T-Mobile's full case, laid out by VP of Federal Regulatory Affairs Kathleen Ham, can be found at the source link below.
T-Mobile urges Congress, FCC to keep spectrum auctions competitive originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Mutations in 2 Genes Linked to Rare Autism-Related Disorder (HealthDay)
THURSDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Newly discovered mutations in two adjacent genes cause a rare genetic brain condition called Joubert syndrome, according to a new study.
People with Joubert syndrome have malformation or underdevelopment of the cerebellum and brainstem, resulting in a range of physical and mental disabilities such as poor muscle control and mental retardation.
As many as four in 10 people with Joubert syndrome meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis and other neurocognitive disorders, according to background information in a news release about the research.
In the study, a team led by University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers found that mutations in two adjacent genes -- TMEM216 and TMEM138 -- cause Joubert syndrome.
"It is extraordinarily rare for two adjacent genes to cause the same human disease," team leader Dr. Joseph Gleeson, a professor of neurosciences and pediatrics, said in the university news release. "The mystery that emerged from this was whether these two adjacent, non-duplicated genes causing indistinguishable disease have functional connections at the gene or protein level."
The researchers conducted evolutionary analysis and concluded that the two genes became joined end-to-end about 260 million years ago. The connected genes then evolved simultaneously and became regulated by the same transcription factors, the authors reported in the study published online Jan. 26 in Science Express.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about Joubert syndrome.
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Amgen 4Q profit down 9 pct, but sales up 3 pct (AP)
Amgen Inc. said Thursday that its fourth-quarter profit fell 8.5 percent as its expenses for taxes and for producing and selling drugs rose faster than its revenue.
The world's largest biotech company said its net income was $934 million, or $1.08 per share, down from $1.02 billion, also $1.08 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding one-time items, Amgen said it earned $1.04 billion, or $1.21 per share, down 6 percent from $1.1 billion, or $1.17 per share, in 2010's fourth quarter. Its adjusted income excluded costs for severance payments, stock options, expenses related to selling a manufacturing plant and amortization of product technology rights acquired in a prior year.
The company's quarterly revenue rose 3 percent to $3.97 billion from $3.84 billion.
Analysts on average expected adjusted earnings of $1.22 per share and revenue of $3.92 billion for the fourth quarter, according to FactSet.
"We're off to a good start" in 2012," CEO Kevin Sharer, who is stepping down in May, told analysts during a conference call
Amgen said it expects to earn $5.90 to $6.15 per share for 2012, excluding one-time items, and it forecast revenue of about $16.3 billion. Analysts were expecting $5.97 per share in adjusted earnings and $16.06 billion in revenue for the year.
During 2011, Amgen bought back $8.3 billion worth of its shares, which bolstered its earnings per share. The company plans to continue repurchasing shares and has authorized up to $5 billion in buybacks, Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Peacock said. He noted that Amgen introduced a dividend in September and increased it in December.
"Our plan is to increase the dividend meaningfully over time," Peacock said.
Sales of Neulasta and Neupogen, for treating a decline of infection-fighting white blood cells caused by cancer and other disorders, rose in the U.S. but fell slightly in other markets. They brought in a total of $998 million and $321 million, respectively. They brought in a combined $1.32 billion, up 6.5 percent. Five newer drugs saw sales rise significantly.
But sales of Enbrel, the leading biologic drug for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, were flat at $945 million. And sales of blockbuster anemia drugs Aranesp and Epogen, which have had limits put on dosing and reimbursement due to safety concerns, each saw sales fall 15 percent or more, to a total of $1.02 billion.
Earlier Thursday, the maker of biologic drugs for cancer and blood disorders said it plans to buy cancer therapy developer Micromet Inc. for $1.16 billion in cash to boost its oncology pipeline. Founded in Germany and based in Rockville, Md., Micromet is developing an experimental antibody-based drug, blinatumomab. It's currently in mid-stage testing to treat leukemia and in clinical development for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
"It advances our pipeline and our R & D capability," Sharer said of the deal. "It puts us on a path to our goals for 2012 and beyond."
The purchase is Amgen's largest since it bought BioVex Group last year in a deal worth up to $1 billion, including milestone payments.
For the full year, Amgen reported net income of $3.68 billion, or $4.04 per share, down 20 percent from $4.63 billion, or $4.79 per share in 2010. Adjusted income was $4.86 billion, or $5.33 per share, down 3 percent from $5.02 billion, or $5.21 per share. Revenue was up 3 percent to $15.58 billion, from $15.05 billion.
Analysts were expecting adjusted income of $5.33 per share on average and revenue of $15.51 billion.
Amgen shares were flat following the after-hours report. They ended regular trading Thursday down $1.13, or 1.6 percent, at $68.08.
___
Linda A. Johnson can be followed at http://twitter.com/LindaJ_onPharma
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Biscotti
Front-facing cameras have made video chats possible on smartphones and tablets, just like they've been possible on webcams for over a decade. But HDTVs have been devoid of the technology, with a few minor exceptions. Now, you can get HDTV webcams that let you chat with friends or family from your couch. The Biscotti is an integrated webcam and chat device you can get for $199 direct from the company. It connects to your Wi-Fi network and makes Google Talk or Biscotti-to-Biscotti calls, and it has an HDMI passthrough so you can take calls while you watch TV. Its video quality doesn't live up to its price, though, and its lack of Skype makes video chats with other HDTV users who don't have Biscottis awkward. For much easier Skype video chats, the Tely Labs TelyHD ($249.99, 4 stars) offers a better experience (in a bulkier camera) for just a bit more.
Design and Interface
The Biscotti is the same size and shape as the baked good after which it's named, with a gently curving top surface and decidedly cookie-like dimensions of 0.8 by 6.2 by 1 inches (HWD). It weighs just 1.6 ounces and is completely black, with only a Biscotti logo and a red light on the front. The back of the device holds an HDMI input, an HDMI output, and a power port.
The Biscotti comes with a small, business card-sized remote control that's just under 0.4 inches thick. It has a direction pad and a back button, which are all you need to control the device. The buttons are flat, and while the direction buttons are large, the back button sits just under them, meaning you can accidentally press it when you want to press the down button and undo any text input you entered with the on-screen keyboard.
The interface and feature set of the Biscotti are both simple. The main menu is a set of three buttons that let you browse your friends list, go over recent calls, or change settings. The menu expands out from the buttons, turning into a three-layered menu of lists and options. The interface serves as an overlay for whatever you're watching over HDMI, thanks to the pass-through connection on the Biscotti. If you plug your cable box into it, you can watch TV while keeping Biscotti active, letting you view calls while your shows or movies play behind them, and letting you know whenever you receive a call.
You can only make calls to other Biscotti users or people on Google Plus, Google Talk, or Gmail who have video chat enabled. The lack of Skype support is a major issue, since Skype is one of the biggest names in video chatting, and many other HDTV webcams use it, like the Tely Labs TelyHD ($249.99, 4 stars). The Google support means you can still talk to most of your friends, if they have a webcam. It also supports voice calls over either service, if your friends don't have a webcam but have a microphone or headset.
Performance and Conclusions
Video quality is lacking with the Biscotti. While its camera is capable of high definition video, it can quickly drop to lower quality if the wireless connection isn't excellent. In the PCMag Labs, where the Wi-Fi signals are thick and cloudy, video looked blocky and was prone to hiccups. In a Google Talk video chat, the picture seemed pixelated and jagged, even when seen through a notebook screen. This isn't the high resolution and fluid picture of a Facetime call, or even an average webcam call with Skype. Video chat works well enough, but it doesn't look very smooth or sharp. Compared to the Logitech TV Cam (which requires a Logitech Revue) or the Microsoft Kinect (which requires an Xbox 360), the video quality falls short. The TelyHD, on the same Wi-Fi network, had a much more stable and higher quality video stream. The Biscotti doesn't have an Ethernet port like the TelyHD does, either, so if you don't have a good Wi-Fi network around your HDTV, you'll find yourself with unstable, disappointing video calls.
Google Talk connections were more erratic than direct Biscotti connections; even adding friends to the contact list took a few attempts to "invite" them before they registered. The video chat appears reliably in Google Talk or a Google Plus/Gmail screen with the chat support enabled, but if your friend uses a third party app with Google Talk, chat requests might not even appear at all.
Biscotti has some great ideas about HDTV video chats, but unfortunately its execution is lacking. The small, light camera is too small and light and isn't reliable in less than ideal Wi-Fi conditions. The HDMI pass-through is a great concept for taking video calls while you watch TV, but it can't make up for the disappointing call quality and lack of Skype. If you really want to make video calls with your HDTV, consider paying $50 more for the TelyHD, which looks better, can accept a wired network connection, and uses Skype to make video calls.
More Webcam reviews:
??? Biscotti
??? Tely Labs TelyHD
??? HP Webcam HD 5210
??? Avaak VueZone System
??? Creative Live! Cam inPerson HD
?? more
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/NJHuzab5rlQ/0,2817,2399154,00.asp
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Foot and ankle structure differs between sprinters and non-sprinters
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The skeletal structure of the foot and ankle differs significantly between human sprinters and non-sprinters, according to Penn State researchers. Their findings not only help explain why some people are faster runners than others, but also may be useful in helping people who have difficulty walking, such as older adults and children with cerebral palsy.
According to Stephen Piazza, associate professor of kinesiology, the research is the first to use magnetic resonance imaging to demonstrate that sprinters have significantly longer bones in their forefeet than non-sprinters and reduced leverage in their Achilles tendons than non-sprinters.
"We made the most direct measurement possible of leverage in the Achilles tendon and found that sprinters' tendons had shorter lever arms -- or reduced leverage for pushing their bodies off of the ground -- compared to non-sprinters," said Piazza.
Piazza explained that there may be a trade-off between leverage and tendon force when rapid muscle contraction is required.
"Imagine a wheelbarrow with 30-foot handles. Such long handles would provide you with great mechanical advantage compared to what you would get from a wheelbarrow with three-foot handles, but rapidly producing the same rotation of this wheelbarrow would be more difficult because you'd have to move the ends of the handles really fast. It is easier for your hands to generate these lifting forces when they move a few inches rather than a few feet in the same amount of time," said Piazza. "The Achilles tendons are like your hands; they are better able to lift your body (the wheelbarrow) when the handles are long enough to provide sufficient leverage without being so long that they prevent rapid force generation by the calf muscles."
According to Josh Baxter, graduate student, shorter Achilles tendon lever arms and longer toe bones permit sprinters to generate greater contact force between the foot and the ground and to maintain that force for a longer time, thus providing advantages to people with sprinter-like feet.
To conduct their research, the scientists studied two groups of eight males, for a total of 16 people. The first group was composed of sprinters who were involved in regular sprint training and competition. The second group consisted of height-matched individuals who never had trained or competed in sprinting. To be included in the sprinter group, individuals were required to currently be engaged in competitive sprinting and have at least three years of continuous sprint training. Of the eight sprinters, six competed in the 100-meter dash, with personal-best times ranging from 10.5 to 11.1 seconds. The other two men reported 200-meter personal best times of 21.4 and 24.1 seconds.
The researchers took MRI images of the right foot and ankle of each of the subjects. They then used specialized software to analyze the images. The scientists found that the Achilles tendon lever arms of sprinters were 12 percent shorter than those of non-sprinters. They also found that the combined length of the bones in the big toes of sprinters was on average 6.2 percent longer than that of non-sprinters, while the length of another foot bone, the first metatarsal, was 4.3 percent longer for sprinters than for non-sprinters. Their results are reported in the current issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
In addition to imaging the feet and ankles of sprinters and non-sprinters, the scientists also developed a simple computer model to investigate the influence of foot and ankle dimensions on muscle contributions to forward propulsion at various speeds. They found that longer forefeet and smaller Achilles tendon lever arms allowed the calf muscles to do more work, which is the goal during the acceleration phase that occurs at the start of a sprint race.
Baxter said that although the results might lead to tests that tell whether a person has the potential to be a sprinter, other factors such as body type, the dimensions of the limbs and the presence of fast-twitch muscle fibers also are important in determining if competitive sprinting is within the realm of possibility for an individual.
"In addition it is unclear whether the differences in foot and ankle skeletal structure are adaptations to sprint training or are hereditary," said Baxter. "There is evidence that human skeletal strength and form are altered by certain types of athletic training."
Piazza added that the results have implications beyond just understanding what makes sprinters run so fast.
"Our results may be useful in helping people who have difficulty walking, such as older adults and children with cerebral palsy," he said. "If we can better understand how the shapes of bones influence not only muscle leverage but also the ability to move, it may be possible to surgically alter the foot bones of people who lack mobility to help them move better. The results even might lead to screening tools for the general population as well; an MRI could determine if you are at greater risk for loss of mobility. If so, you might be more motivated to maintain your ankle strength with a strength-training program."
The MRI measurements made in the study were carried out at the Penn State Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (SLEIC). Others involved with the research include Penn State undergraduate student Thomas Novack, graduate student Herman van Werkhoven and SLEIC staff member David Pennell.
###
Penn State: http://live.psu.edu
Thanks to Penn State for this article.
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Apple doubles iPhone sales in 1Q
FILE - In this May 23, 2011 file photo, customers look at the Apple MacBook Air and the iPad 2 at the Apple Store in San Francisco. Apple Inc., reports quarterly financial results Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
FILE - In this May 23, 2011 file photo, customers look at the Apple MacBook Air and the iPad 2 at the Apple Store in San Francisco. Apple Inc., reports quarterly financial results Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
In this Jan. 19, 2012 photo, Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, discusses iBooks 2 for iPad, in New York. Apple Inc., reports quarterly financial results Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The iPhone is taking over Apple.
For the first time, the device that changed how people use mobile phones, accounts for more than half of the behemoth company's sales.
Apple Inc. on Tuesday said it sold 37 million iPhones in the last three months of 2011, vastly exceeding analyst estimates and propelling the company to record quarterly results.
The phone accounted for 53 percent of Apple's revenue in the quarter. Though it has other hit products, like MacBooks and the iPad, they can't keep up with the iPhone, whose sales more than doubled over last year from an already high level.
The sales mean Apple is set to regain the position it briefly held earlier last year of being the world's largest maker of smartphones. Nokia Corp., the earlier No. 1, in transition to a new generation of smartphones, and more recent competitor Samsung Electronics Co. has announced preliminary figure of 35 million smartphones sold in the October to December period.
October saw Apple launching the iPhone 4S in the U.S. and some other countries. The phone was delayed for a few months, which meant that Apple's results for the July to September quarter were uncharacteristically tepid.
It came back with a vengeance in the holiday season. On Tuesday, Apple said net income in the fiscal first quarter, which ended Dec. 31, was $13.06 billion, or $13.87 per share. That was up 118 percent from $6 billion, or $6.43 per share, a year ago.
Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting earnings of $10.04 per share for the latest quarter, Apple's fiscal first.
Revenue was $46.33 billion, up 73 percent from a year ago. Analysts were expecting $38.9 billion.
"It was a pristine quarter," said ISI Group analyst Brian Marshall. "The investment community has never seen a company like this, inside or outside technology."
The stellar performance could re-establish Apple as the world's most valuable company, again toppling Exxon Mobil Corp. Apple first unseated Exxon last summer, and the two have been trading places since then.
Apple shares rose $30.67, or 7.3 percent, to $451.08 in extended trading, after the company released its results. If that rally sticks in Wednesday's regular trading sessions, Apple's market value will be hovering around $420 billion. Exxon's market value stood at $417.9 billion Tuesday, while Apple's was $391.9 billion at the end of regular trading.
Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads in the quarter, again more than doubling sales over the same quarter last year. The November launch of Amazon.com Inc.'s $199 Kindle Fire tablet didn't appear to put much of a dent in the iPad's sales, as some analysts predicted it would.
Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer said the company expects earnings of $8.50 per share in the current quarter, and sales of $32.5 billion. Both figures are above the average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet, even though Apple usually low-balls its estimates.
The Cupertino, California company ended the quarter with a cash balance of a staggering $97.6 billion. That's more than enough to buy Citigroup Inc. outright, or issue a special dividend of $100 per Apple share.
For years, investors have been frustrated with Apple's unwillingness to put the cash to use, but complaints have been muted as Apple continues to generate record-breaking results and as the stock price keeps rising. Apple executives have said the cash hoard gives the company flexibility to make acquisitions and long-term supply deals.
Apple's results lifted shares of smaller companies that supply chips for the iPhone, like TriQuint Semiconductor, up 7.7 percent, Cirrus Logic Inc., up 6.8 percent, Broadcom Corp., up 4.2 percent, and Skyworks Solutions Inc., up 3.7 percent.
Apple co-founder and longtime CEO Steve Jobs died Oct. 5, just as the record-breaking quarter started.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Rick Santorum Glitter-Bombed: Presidential Candidate Hit With Glitter In South Carolina (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
As Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum finished his speech on Saturday following his third-place finish in the South Carolina primary, he was glitter-bombed by members of the Occupy Charleston movement, Summerville Patch reports.
It isn't clear whether Santorum himself was hit with glitter, but BuzzFeed reports that at least one member of the Duggar family, the reality-TV stars who've endorsed the socially conservative candidate, were hit with glitter.
Summerville Patch's Lindsay Street reports:
As Santorum closed his speech focusing on building strong family values, a gay rights activist said: "Except when you're gay" and threw a handful of glitter in the air.Members of the Occupy Charleston group joined in with chants of "Rick, Rick, Rick, bigot, bigot, bigot" and singing "Santorum, Santorum, you're a bigot."
Click over to Summerville Patch for more.
Video from of the incident, available above from WCSC-5, shows that the candidate appeared to take the glittering in stride. The Los Angeles Times reports that the protesters were escorted out of the auditorium.
Lindsey Boerma, a reporter for CBS News and The National Journal, tweeted a picture of the glitter mid-air from another perspective:
This isn't the first time Santorum has been the target of glitter. At an event in Iowa in December, a man who yelled "Stop the hate, taste the rainbow" threw glitter at the former Pennsylvania senator.
And Real Clear Politics reported on Thursday, just two days before the South Carolina primary, that people protesting Santorum's stance on social issues at a rally in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. threw glitter at the candidate.
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Romney to release taxes, Gingrich ready for Obama (AP)
WASHINGTON ? Stung by a South Carolina setback that capped a bad week, Mitt Romney said he would release his tax returns Tuesday in hopes of ending a campaign distraction while revived rival Newt Gingrich said he was the strongest Republican to go "toe to toe" with President Barack Obama.
Rick Santorum, third in the South Carolina vote, maintained he was the lone "consistent conservative" left in the race and pledged to keep campaigning in Florida, next on the calendar with its Jan. 31 primary, and beyond.
The newly scrambled presidential contest shifted to Florida after Gingrich stopped Romney's sprint to the nomination with a convincing victory in the first-in-the South primary. For now, that removed the air of inevitability that surrounded Romney's candidacy. But Florida is larger, more diverse and more expensive, and brings new challenges for Gingrich. Once again, he must show he can overcome financial and organizational disadvantages, as he did in South Carolina.
"One of the reasons I think people in South Carolina voted for me was a belief that I could debate Obama head to head, that I could convey conservative values," said Gingrich as the candidates made the rounds of the Sunday talk shows.
"I think we had better be prepared for a tough campaign, whoever we nominate," the former House speaker said. He added, "I can go toe to toe with President Obama on big things. ... I think you can draw a very strong case that in the end the dynamics of a Gingrich/Obama fight are much better for Republicans than the dynamics of a Romney/Obama fight."
Romney said it was "not a good week for me" and cited all the time he had spent talking about his tax returns as his rivals pressed him to make them public before his promised date in April.
After months of resistance, Romney had said last week that he would release tax information for 2011, but not until close to the tax filing deadline. That also was seen as a time, before the South Carolina race rattled his front-runner status, when the GOP nomination might have been decided.
"I think we just made a mistake in holding off as long as we did. It just was a distraction. We want to get back to the real issues of the campaign: leadership, character, a vision for America, how to get jobs again in America and how to rein in the excessive scale of the federal government," said Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and venture capitalist.
Romney disclosed last week that, despite his wealth of hundreds of millions of dollars, he has been paying in the neighborhood of 15 percent, far below the top maximum income tax rate of 35 percent, because his income "comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past."
"Given all the attention that's been focused on tax returns, given the distraction that I think they became in these last couple of weeks," Romney said Sunday he would release his 2010 returns and estimates for his 2011 returns at the same time "so there's not a second release down the road."
"We'll be putting our returns on the Internet, people can look through them," Romney said. "It will provide, I think, plenty of information for people to understand that the sources of my income are exactly as described in the financial disclosure statements we put out a couple of months ago.
During 2010 and the first nine months of 2011, the Romney family had at least $9.6 million in income, according to a financial disclosure form submitted in August.
Further focusing attention on his wealth was Romney's offhand remark to reporters that his income from paid speeches amounted to "not very much" money. In the August disclosure statement, he reported being paid $373,327.62 for such appearances for the 12 months ending last February. That sum alone would him in the top 1 percent of U.S. taxpayers.
In addition, Romney owns investments worth between $7 million and $32 million in offshore-based holdings, which are often used legitimately by private equity firms to attract foreign investors. Such offshore accounts also can enable wealthy investors to defer paying U.S. taxes on some assets, according to tax experts.
"I know people will try and find something," Romney said, adding, "We pay full, fair taxes, and you'll see it's a pretty substantial amount."
Santorum, who beat Romney and Gingrich in leadoff Iowa, scoffed at the suggestion he might leave the race so conservatives could rally behind Gingrich against Romney.
"The idea that conservatives have to coalesce in order to beat Mitt Romney, well, that's just not true anymore. Conservatives actually can have a choice. We don't have to rush to judgment,' he said.
"The longer this campaign goes on," Santorum said, "the better it is for conservatives, the better it is for our party."
Santorum's continued presence ensures at least some division among Florida's tea party activists and evangelicals, a division that could help Romney help erase questions about his candidacy.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul likely will not be a factor in Florida. He already had said he was bypassing the state in favor of smaller subsequent contests.
As the first Southern primary, South Carolina has been a proving ground for Republican presidential hopefuls in recent years. Since Ronald Reagan in 1980, every Republican contender who won the primary has gone on to capture the party's nomination.
Returns from 95 percent of the state's precincts showed Gingrich with 41 percent of the vote to 27 percent for Romney. Santorum was winning 17 percent, Paul 13 percent.
Already, Romney and a group that supports him were on the air in Florida with a significant television ad campaign, more than $7 million combined to date.
Gingrich appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," CBS' "Face the Nation" and CNN's "State of the Union." Romney was on "Fox News Sunday," while Santorum was on ABC's "This Week" and CNN.
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Monday, January 9, 2012
Record pollution hits Calif's ag heartland
FRESNO, Calif.?? This is the time of year when residents who often live with the nation's worst pollution often can draw a breath of fresh air. But this winter has not been kind to people who want to play outside in California's Central Valley.
A dry December and January has stagnated air across California, but nowhere is the situation more serious than between Modesto and Bakersfield, where nearly every day dirty air has exceeded federal health standards.
It's the worst air quality recorded in a dozen years, and it's the unhealthiest kind? microscopic, chemical-laden particles that can get into lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream to create health risks in everyone, not just the young and infirm.
The southern San Joaquin half of the valley stretches 200 miles from Stockton to Bakersfield and is home to 4 million people. It traditionally records the highest level of particulate matter and ozone pollution in the United States and has a rate of asthma three times the national average, according to the American Lung Association.
Air quality advocates have argued for years that the local air district's focus on fireplace burn bans ignores other major sources of industrial pollution, such as dairies, feed lots and oil rigs. "The air board's strategy is failing," said Kevin Hall, executive director of the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition.
Air officials say their policies are sound, but there is little they can do with La Nina conditions in the Pacific creating stagnant air.
Fighting air pollution in the Central Valley is a task that so far has not succeeded in meeting federal health standards. Surrounded on three sides by mountains, the valley opens in the north toward San Francisco and Sacramento, where weather patterns suck emissions south.
Cutting through the valley are the state's two main north-south highway corridors, the routes for nearly all long-distance tractor trailer rigs, the No. 2 source of particulate pollution in the valley. Also in the mix are millions of acres of plowed farmland and 1.6 million dairy cows and the flatulence and ammonia-laden manure they create.
Without wind and rain, the air sits, trapped as if in a pot with a lid.
Since 2003, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has targeted fireplace soot as biggest source that is easiest to end and calls "no burn days" based on weather forecasts.
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Fires were banned on nearly every day in December, including Christmas Eve and New Year's, and the 60 people who patrol neighborhoods writing citations to offenders have been busy. Violations doubled in some areas and were up to five times higher in others last month as the district cracked down during unseasonably cold weather.
"When we have weather conditions like this, there is nothing we can do really to meet the federal standards," said Seyed Sadredin, executive director of the district. "Even if we shut down I-5 and (U.S. Highway) 99 and shut businesses we would still violate the standard because there's no dispersion. The best we can do is to minimize the damage, and the best way to do that is with the fireplace rule."
The struggle with particulate pollution comes after the district failed during the summer months, despite a publicity campaign, to keep ozone emissions under EPA limits to avoid ongoing federal fines.
Warnings about the potential adverse health effects of air pollution become a year-round event in the valley. And those warnings are about to start coming more furiously. This week district officials lowered by nearly half the level of pollution they say is safe for outdoor activities.
The air district helped fund a study of 1 million residents in 2011 that found that emergency room visits for asthma and heart attacks went up when particulate pollution went up. That convinced officials that the federal government's standard, which relied on a 24-hour average of air quality, was too high. Small particulates in the bloodstream can break off plaque in the coronary artery, creating a logjam and a heart attack.
"The old level may work for Beijing, China, but we need to bring it down to where it really belongs," said David Lighthall, the district's health science adviser. "We are recognizing that the air quality is different from one time of day to another and we're trying to give people the information they need to make decisions about outdoor exercise."
The district sends advisories to schools and those signed up for email alerts, called "Real Time Outdoor Activity Risk" warnings, whenever the air reaches the "unhealthy" level so that teachers know whether to call off recess and residents can decide to postpone a jog or a bike ride. On Friday morning, for instance, some Fresno residents received an email alert at 10 a.m. working that the air was "Level 5 Very Unhealthy" for everyone, indicating the highest levels of pollution.
"We can give people a tool, whether an athlete or school manager, and ensure they do stay indoors at particular times when air quality is threatening, and also find out when a better time to go out would be," Lighthall said.
Just before Christmas, the Center for Race, Poverty and the Environment sued the U.S. EPA on behalf of Central Valley residents alleging it has not pressed California for a viable, enforceable plan to improve air quality.
"We are going to need far tighter rules coming out of the air district if we are really going to make progress in meeting federal standards," said Tom Franz of the Bakersfield-based Association of Irritated Residents, one of the groups suing.
Air pollution officials say the technology doesn't yet exist to lessen the valley's pollution and bring the region into compliance, though the district is investing in research and giving grants for things such as the new generation of battery powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45910608/ns/us_news-environment/
Android website gets another playful easter egg added
When Google went ahead and updated the Android website not all that long ago, they had some easter eggs built into the site at the bottom. Previously, you could go ahead and make Bugdroid do the moonwalk, wave hello and juggle among other things. If you head on over there now though -- there is a fun little snow ball tossing game in place of the previous easter eggs. No telling how long its been that way but, it's the little, clever things that make us happy.
Source: Android; Thanks, David!
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/S2WWzwkzSds/story01.htm
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Sunday, January 8, 2012
Rick Santorum Likens Gay Marriage to Polygamy; Booed Off Stage in New Hampshire
Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum finished in a virtual tie with Mitt Romney in the Iowa caucus Tuesday night, but New Hampshire is another story.
The Granite State, which holds its primary Tuesday, is more secular and may be less receptive to Santorum's rampant homophobia socially conservative views.
Santorum was booed after a lengthy back-and-forth with students in Concord, N.H., on the issue of same-sex marriage, which is legal in New Hampshire.
He called on a woman who asked, “How about the idea that all men are created equal, rights to happiness and liberty?" The former Senator's response:
“So anyone can marry can marry anybody else? If that’s the case, then everyone can marry several people … so you can be married to five people. Is that OK?” he asked.
You heard him right. A leading candidate for President of the United States compared gay marriage to polygamy. Thus the origin of Santorum's Google problem.
Rather than simply dodging the question and/or quickly moving on, he continued to try to make his point as the crowd grew more and more agitated.
The student angrily answered, regarding Santorum's absurd comeback, “That’s not what we are talking about!” The boos came raining down before long.
Maybe Meghan McCain has a point.
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Saints open playoffs with 45-28 win over Lions
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) looks for a receiver as Detroit Lions defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (93) pursues during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) looks for a receiver as Detroit Lions defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (93) pursues during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees throws during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Detroit Lions Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks for a receiver as New Orleans Saints middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma (51) pursues during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Detroit Lions strong safety Amari Spievey (42) breaks up a pass in the endzone to New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston (12) during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in New Orleans.(AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Detroit Lions strong safety Amari Spievey (42) breaks up a pass in the endzone to New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston (12) during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are pouring on the points, racking up the wins and rewriting the record books nearly every time they play.
Things sure are rollin' on the river.
Brees led an unstoppable offense by throwing for 466 yards and three touchdowns, and New Orleans dominated the second half for a 45-28 NFC wild-card victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.
New Orleans broke the postseason mark for total yards with 626, beating the record set 49 years ago.
"We were pulling out all the stops," Brees said. "We play aggressive. We're not going to apologize for that. That gives guys in the huddle a lot of confidence. We're not going to pull the reins back. It's pedal to the medal."
Brees hit on 33 of 43 passes while throwing for the most yards in a regulation playoff game. He highlighted his night with three completions of at least 40 yards.
"We just focus on winning. We're not focused on yards and records," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "I'm serious when I say that."
As usual, the quarterback had plenty of help from an offense that set an NFL record for yards from scrimmage this season (7,474), outgaining Detroit on the ground 167 yards to 32. The Saints (14-3) will travel to San Francisco (13-3) for next Saturday's second-round game.
Matthew Stafford threw for 380 yards and three TDs for the Lions (10-7), who simply could not keep pace in their first playoff appearance since the 1999 season. They have lost seven straight postseason games.
"It's a learning experience for the whole team. We'll get better. We'll be back," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "Obviously it hurts right now."
All-Pro receiver Calvin Johnson had 12 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns in his playoff debut for Detroit, but that was not nearly enough as the Saints' defense responded in the fourth quarter with two interceptions by Jabari Greer.
"We did make the playoffs this year and that's a great accomplishment," Johnson said. "We have some things to work on and we will. We know what we have to do to make the next step."
The teams combined for 1,038 yards, tying an NFL playoff record set by Buffalo and Miami on Dec. 30, 1995. The Superdome will likely host a much different contest on Monday night, when defensive stalwarts LSU and Alabama meet for the BCS national title. Fans in the dome cheered wildly for the LSU band as it played before the game and at halftime, then enjoyed a second half that culminated in what they hope will be the first of two Big Easy celebrations in three nights.
Pierre Thomas finished with 66 yards and one touchdown rushing, while Sproles added 51 yards, two scores and several other clutch plays.
Marques Colston overcame an early fumble with seven catches for 120 yards, including a 40-yarder to set up Jimmy Graham's short TD grab.
Robert Meachem had four catches for 111 yards, including a 56-yard score. Devery Henderson added a 41-yard touchdown reception.
New Orleans showed guts and got a little good fortune on a decisive 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter. The Saints ran Sproles around the left end on fourth-and-2 at the Lions 40 and gained 3 yards. Soon after, Brees' pass as he was clobbered by Nick Fairley went right through the hands of defensive back Aaron Berry.
Berry would regret that drop two plays later as Sproles bolted 17 yards to make it 31-21.
Stafford tried to get some of that back quickly, throwing deep for Titus Young, but Greer ran under it and picked it off. Four plays later, Brees spotted Meachem behind blown coverage for his long score to make it 38-21.
The Lions became only the second visiting team all year to lead at halftime in the Superdome, where the Saints were unbeaten during the regular season.
"So going into halftime at a deficit, we just realized, 'Listen, just bear down, one play at a time, one drive at a time,'" Brees said, "and I think we scored on every drive in the second half. I guess that's what you hope for."
New Orleans has won nine in a row overall.
The Saints opened the second half by driving 78 yards to take their first lead on Brees' 31-yard pass to Henderson. New Orleans then widened its lead to 24-14 with a 92-yard drive that included what may have been a favorable spot on Colston's third-down grab at the Saints 18. Later, Brees converted a risky dive over the pile on fourth-and-1 at the New Orleans 38 to sustain the drive before finding Colston for a 40-yard gain to the Detroit 3. Brees hit Graham for a score on the next play.
"It was fourth and inches and we felt like we had a rhythm going," Brees said. "Obviously it was a gutsy call but we've been known to make those types of calls."
The Lions fought back with a quick 80-yard scoring drive highlighted by Stafford's 42-yard completion to Johnson at the Saints 2, setting up Stafford's dive for the pylon on a bootleg that made it 24-21 late in the third quarter.
Detroit could not have planned a much better start to its first playoff game since the '99 season.
Stafford completed five of his first six throws for 70 yards, starting with a 22-yard completion to Johnson on the second play from scrimmage. A 10-yard strike to reserve tight end Will Heller gave the Lions a 7-0 lead.
New Orleans responded by quickly driving into Lions territory, but Colston was stripped by Stephen Tulloch on the 18-yard line and Justin Durant recovered. It was a rare lost fumble for the Saints, who had an NFL low and franchise record low five during the regular season.
New Orleans found the end zone on its next drive to tie it at 7, but Stafford led the Lions right back downfield, hitting Johnson in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard score.
The Saints then fumbled a second time in Detroit territory when Brees was stripped just before throwing by defensive end Willie Young and the ball squirted to Durant for his second recovery. Durant wanted to return it, but the play was inexplicably blown dead. What might have been a touchdown return instead became a stalled drive.
The Saints thought they had tied it when Colston's catch in the back of the end zone was ruled a touchdown, but it was overturned on replay and New Orleans wound up settling for John Kasay's 24-yard field goal and a 14-10 halftime deficit.
Notes: Bernie Kosar still holds the record for yards passing in a playoff game, though his game in 1986 went to overtime when he reached 489 for Cleveland against the New York Jets. ... Detroit's leading rusher was Kevin Smith with only 21 yards. ... The Lions rushed the ball only 10 times and their longest gain was 9 yards. ... The Saints surpassed 500 total offensive yards in five regular season games, with the playoff game being the sixth. ... Brees finished the regular season with seven straight 300-yard or more passing games and easily continued the streak against the Lions.
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