Pfizer recalls 28 lots of birth control pills (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Pfizer Inc. is recalling 1 million packets of birth control pills after uncovering a packaging error that could leave women with an inadequate dose of the hormone-based drugs and raise the risk that they will get pregnant accidentally.

The problem affects 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. Both products are manufactured by Pfizer and marketed in the U.S. by Akrimax Rx Products.

Pfizer found that some packets of the drugs had too many active tablets, while others had too few. Oral birth control products use a series of 21 drug tablets and 7 inactive sugar tablets to regulate the menstrual period while providing contraception.

A company spokeswoman said the problem was caused by both mechanical and visual inspection failures on the packaging line. She said the problem has been corrected.

Pfizer issued a statement saying the problem is not related to safety but does raise the risk of unintended pregnancy.

The affected packets have expiration dates ranging between July 31, 2013, and March 31, 2014.

The drugs were distributed to warehouses, clinics and retail pharmacies throughout the U.S.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120201/ap_on_he_me/us_pfizer_birth_control_recall

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HBT: Rangers have 'exploratory meeting' with Oswalt

As mentioned by Craig yesterday morning,?the Rangers did indeed have a meeting with Roy Oswalt today. But if you?re looking for any major developments, you?re probably going to be disappointed.

T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that the situation ?remains?ongoing and unresolved.? Meanwhile, Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com described it as an ?exploratory meeting.? It?s probably fair to say that a contract was discussed today, but it?s also possible that they were talking about the logistics of a moon colony.

While the Rangers and Cardinals have full starting rotations at the moment, it seems pretty clear that both clubs have interest if the price is right. Rumors of a potential deal with St. Louis over the weekend turned out to be unfounded, but the club is reportedly trying to trade right-hander Kyle McClellan in order to clear some salary.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/30/the-rangers-met-with-roy-oswalt-today/related/

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LaCie Little Big Disk Lightning Review: The Future Is Shockingly Super Fast [Hard Drives]

The Little Big Disk is simply the fastest way to backup your data you've ever used. But it's also, finally, a delivery on Apple's promise that Thunderbolt would do crazy things to our tech lives. That promise came true. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/F66FXJ-wKzA/lacie-little-big-disk-lightning-review-the-future-is-shockingly-super-fast

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Eurozone unemployment ends 2011 at record high

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2007 file photo, employees are silhouetted at the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical factory in Ingelheim, central Germany. The Federal Labor Agency said Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012 that Germany's unemployment is back over 7 percent, after jumping 0.7 percentage points in January as winter hits certain industries such as construction. (AP Photo/Michael Pobst, file)

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2007 file photo, employees are silhouetted at the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical factory in Ingelheim, central Germany. The Federal Labor Agency said Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012 that Germany's unemployment is back over 7 percent, after jumping 0.7 percentage points in January as winter hits certain industries such as construction. (AP Photo/Michael Pobst, file)

FILE - The Feb 24, 2011 file photo shows a workers mounting a door at the assembly line of the Golf production in the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. The Federal Labor Agency said Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012 that Germany's unemployment is back over 7 percent, after jumping 0.7 percentage points in January as winter hits certain industries such as construction. (AP Photo/Ferdinand Ostrop)

LONDON (AP) ? Unemployment across the 17 countries that use the euro ended 2011 at a record high of one person in every 10, official figures showed Tuesday, a day after EU leaders acknowledged they would have to boost economic growth with the same urgency that they had shown in combating their nations' debts.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said the 10.4 per cent unemployment rate in December was unchanged at its highest level since the euro was launched in 1999, as November's was revised upward from a previous estimate of 10.3 percent. Unemployment has been steadily rising over the past year ? in December 2010, it stood at 9.5 percent ? largely because of Europe's debt crisis.

There are huge disparities across the eurozone, however, with those countries at the front line of Europe's current financial turmoil, such as Greece and Spain, suffering record rates of unemployment that are stoking concerns about the social fabric of their societies ? Spain's unemployment stands at a staggering 22.9 percent and Greece's is not far behind at 19.2 percent.

What even those figures mask is that unemployment among the young is much, much higher. Latest figures from Spain show unemployment among people aged under 25 was 48.7 percent, prompting concerns that an entire generation of people could fail to accumulate the necessary skills and experience for a prosperous life.

At the other end of the scale, some countries like Austria are operating not far off what is considered to be the natural rate of unemployment in an economy of 4.1 per cent, while Germany's rate at a post-unification low of 5.5 per cent.

Since Europe's debt crisis exploded around two years ago, the focus has been on austerity, with governments getting their houses in order with big, often-savage spending cuts, and tax increases.

However, there are growing signs that Europe is changing tack, and that measures to boost growth and jobs are now central to the crisis resolution effort.

On Monday, at a summit in Brussels designed to shore up the euro's budgetary defenses against debt, EU leaders promised to stimulate growth and create jobs across the region.

"Yes we need discipline, but we also need growth," said Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, the EU's executive arm.

The leaders pledged to offer more training for young people to ease their transition into the work force, to deploy unused development funds to create jobs, to reduce barriers to doing business across the EU's 27 countries and ensure that small businesses have access to credit.

The task is hand is massive, with just under 16.5 million people unemployed in the eurozone, up 751,000 on the year before. Across the EU, which includes non-euro countries such as Britain and Poland, the number of unemployed stands at 23.8 million, or 9.9 percent of the potential work force.

Even if reforms to economies across Europe help boost growth and potential employment opportunities, there are many headwinds that will be difficult to overcome, not least the fear that many economies will slip back into recession in the wake of ongoing austerity measures and subdued global demand.

"Governments in these countries urgently need to deliver labor market reforms that make it more attractive to hire workers and ensure that young people in particular are not put at risk of permanent exclusion from the work force," said Tom Rogers, a senior economic adviser at consultants Ernst & Young .

"Such reforms, if swiftly implemented, could have a powerful impact on confidence in the near term, and help ease the burden of the current crisis," Rogers added.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-31-EU-Europe-Economy/id-392c7c5fdb474a70b43fc58123deda08

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Forest Service to Jesus: You can stay _ for now

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2011 file photo, freshmen at the University of Montana, from left, Jake Coburn, Stephanie Ralls and Claire Dal Nogare, visit a statue of Jesus Christ at Whitefish Mountain Resort Whitefish, Mont. The U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday Jan. 31, 2012 it will re-authorize a permit for this 57-year-old statue of Jesus that had been facing eviction from this northwestern Montana ski resort.(AP Photo/Missoulian, Linda Thompson, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2011 file photo, freshmen at the University of Montana, from left, Jake Coburn, Stephanie Ralls and Claire Dal Nogare, visit a statue of Jesus Christ at Whitefish Mountain Resort Whitefish, Mont. The U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday Jan. 31, 2012 it will re-authorize a permit for this 57-year-old statue of Jesus that had been facing eviction from this northwestern Montana ski resort.(AP Photo/Missoulian, Linda Thompson, File)

HELENA, Montana (AP) ? A mountaintop Jesus statue can stay at a ski resort in the western U.S. state of Montana ? for now.

The religious statue, which has been on federal land since 1955, was allowed to remain in place for at least 10 more years after the U.S. Forest Service reversed its eviction order Tuesday. The initial decision came amid heated debate over the separation of church and state as required by the U.S. Constitution.

The agency had faced a firestorm of criticism from religious groups, the state's congressman and residents after it decided last year to boot the Jesus statue from its hillside perch in the trees above Whitefish.

After the agency's about-face, opponents promised a lawsuit within the week. They argue the statue's free placement on federal land is unconstitutional.

The statue has been a curiosity at the famed Big Mountain ski hill for decades, mystifying skiers with its appearance in the middle of the woods as they cruise down a popular run.

The Forest Service said in its original decision that case law was stacked against such a statue. They previously argued rules prevented the federal government from favoring or promoting religion.

But Forest Service supervisor Chip Weber said the revised decision took into account that the statue is eligible for placement on National Register of Historic Places, and that no substantive concerns related to environmental conditions were found in about 95,000 comments received by the agency.

The latest decision renews a 10-year special-use permit for the Knights of Columbus Council, members of which placed the statue there.

"I understand the statue has been a long-standing object in the community since 1955, and I recognize that the statue is important to the community for its historical heritage based on its association with the early development of the ski area on Big Mountain," Weber said.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which argues the religious statue does not belong on public land, said it anticipated the agency's reversal. It argues that the Forest Service was breaching separation of church and state rules by leasing the small patch of land for the Jesus statue.

"We have no objection to shrines like these on private property. That is where they belong," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. "I think it will be very easy to show that this special permit is a sham."

Gaylor said the public comments received by the Forest Service do not make its decision any more constitutional.

"We think we have a very strong case. There is just no question that the Knights of Columbus should not be given a special use permit," she said.

U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, who had taken a prominent role in fighting for the statue, said Tuesday he would withdraw his legislation that offered the alternative to swap the small plot of federal land to Whitefish Mountain Resort in exchange for another nearby patch of ground.

"I'm glad that after hearing from more than 95,000 people, the Forest Service had the courage to do the right thing today," Rehberg said in a statement. "This victory belongs to everyone that took time to voice an opinion."

The Freedom From Religion Foundation also opposed the land swap as a public handout to a church group.

The statue has been maintained by the local Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, ever since members that included World War II veterans ? inspired by religious monuments they saw while fighting in the mountains of Europe ? erected the monument in 1955. The Knights have never been charged for use of the public land.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-01-31-US-Mountain-Jesus-Statue/id-e6e5519bceae461cbb884329d98bd7ca

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Jennifer Flavin to Join The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?

Producers of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills are looking for new ladies to add to the mix, and the latest, rumored name attached to that endeavor is Jennifer Flavin.

She's the wife of Sylvester Stallone.

“The producers asked Jennifer Flavin to talk to them about being on the show,” a source close to the show said, supposedly, of the 43-year-old Mrs. Rocky.

Flavin and Sly have three kids together, have amassed a huge fortune and live in an enormous mansion in Beverly Hills. So it's a good fit on the surface.

Their neighbors include RHOBH star Adrienne Maloof and husband Paul Nassif, and Lisa Vanderpump reportedly just sold her $19 million home nearby.

Taylor Armstrong is reportedly terrified that she’s going to be axed from the hit show, and there is no doubting that Sly’s wife could add her own drama.

“Jennifer would be great on the show, she’s married to a super famous guy and she’s friends with a few of the women on the show,” the source said.

“She has her own business and she’s really successful all on her own. Plus she’s got a great personality that's tailor-made for Bravo and reality TV.”

Presumably that's a compliment?

Jennifer Flavin is no stranger to television, having appeared in competition style shows and having founded the skin care line Serious Skin Care.

Vanessa Bryant and Lisa Gastineau are also to rumored to be coming aboard, while Brandi Glanville was a popular new addition in Season 2.

[Photo: WENN.com]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/jennifer-flavin-to-join-the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/

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Giants vs. Patriots II worth 4-year wait

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady talks to a friend as he leaves a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady talks to a friend as he leaves a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2012, file photo, New York Giants' Chris Canty (99), Osi Umenyiora (72), Jason Pierre-Paul (90) and Justin Tuck share a laugh during NFL football practice, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Four years after what many consider the best finish in Super Bowl history, the Giants and Patriots are facing off once more for the NFL championship. While there are no perfect records on the line this time, this matchup could be equally enticing.

It certainly looks that way heading into Sunday's big game. In 2008, with New England undefeated and having beaten New York in the regular-season finale, the Patriots were 12-point favorites. The spread now is 3, and the Giants beat them during the season.

Both teams are on quite a roll, too. The Patriots (15-3) have won 10 straight ? it was 18 in a row in '08 ? and the Giants (12-7) have five consecutive victories.

All of which matters not a bit, according to Bill Belichick, who will tie a record for head coaches with his fifth Super Bowl appearance.

"I've been asked about that game for several days now. All of the games in the past really don't mean that much at this point," said Belichick, 3-1 in NFL title games. "This game is about this team this year. There aren't really a lot of us coaches and players who were involved in that game, and very few players, in relative terms, between both teams. We are where we are now, and we're different than where we were earlier in the season. The Giants are where they are now, and I think they're different than where they were at different points of the season. To take it back years and years before that, I don't think it has too much bearing on anything."

The loss still reverberates for former Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin.

"It was like getting punched in the stomach," he said. "I still can't watch the highlights from that game because of the opportunity we missed out on was so grand

Having come this far before is immeasurably helpful, according to Justin Tuck, the leader of the Giants' defense whose return to health and form has keyed New York's resurgence. He says the experience of four years ago in the Arizona desert will benefit everyone.

"The only thing that I tell the younger guys is make football football," Tuck said. "Don't make this game bigger than it has to be. Everybody around you is going to make it bigger, but we have to concentrate on why we're going out there. There's going to be a lot of parties. There's going to be a lot of people pulling at your coattail. Listen, if you go out there and you handle your business and you win this game, you can party all you want to after that.

"For me, personally, the first time I went to a Super Bowl I approached it as such ? as a once in a lifetime thing."

For Tuck, it wasn't. And while the defense he leads to Indianapolis isn't quite as overwhelming as the unit that made life miserable for Tom Brady in '08, it has been reinvigorated as the Giants surged to the NFC championship. It also is just as deep as the group that sacked Brady five times, hit him nine more ? Osi Umenyiora claimed he had that many hits alone ? and unnerved the usually unflappable star.

Today, it's Tuck, Umenyiora, All-Pro Jason Pierre-Paul, Dave Tollefson and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, who compare favorably with Umenyiora, Tuck, Michael Strahan, Jay Alford and LB Antonio Pierce in 2008.

Other than head coaches Belichick and New York's Tom Coughlin, that is the most common element between the two Super Bowls.

"It's been a strength of their team for as long as I can remember," Brady said. "Michael Strahan, as great of a player as he was, I think we played them in 2003 and they were still harassing the quarterback. It seems like they always have guys who can rush the quarterback. Justin Tuck is as good as they come. Osi week in and week out, he's a player who can ruin a game for an offense. You look at the group they have now, and they have a ton of depth at the defensive line position."

Controversial receivers Randy Moss and Plaxico Burress have been replaced by skilled playmakers like tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in New England, wideouts Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in New York. Eli Manning no longer is a question as Giants quarterback, and has carried the offense much the way running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw did in the past.

Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants into the Super Bowl in overtime in '08 and ? incredibly ? this year, too. Wes Welker led the Patriots with 112 catches that season and had 122 in this one.

Sixteen Giants remain from the 17-14 Super Bowl victory, and only seven Patriots are still around.

Similarities and differences, all juicy elements for Giants-Patriots II.

Here we go again.

___

AP Sports Writers Tom Canavan and Mike Marot contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-30-Super%20Bowl-Here%20We%20Go%20Again/id-a3a3622cbf764b139e865b43949da72a

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