Placido Domingo wins Israel's Wolf Prize (AP)

JERUSALEM ? Acclaimed tenor Placido Domingo has been named a winner of Israel's prestigious Wolf Prize, along with seven other American, British and Israeli recipients.

The Wolf Foundation said Tuesday that Domingo is the first vocal artist to ever win its prize. From 1962 to 1965, at the beginning of his career, he sang with the Israeli opera company.

Each year the Wolf Foundation awards $100,000 prizes in five fields. About three dozen winners have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes.

Domingo shared the award with English conductor Sir Simon Rattle. Israeli physicist Jacob D. Bekenstein won the physics prize. The others went to U.S.-based scientists, including chemists A. Paul Alivisatos and Charles M. Lieber, mathematicians Michael Aschbacher and Luis Caffarelli, and in medicine, Ronald M. Evans.

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Casual Marijuana Smoking Not Harmful to Lungs

This is a hand-rolled tobacco cigarette. No illegal drugs were used in this photo. Image: Flickr/cagrimmett

It wouldn't have mattered if Bill Clinton inhaled, as far as his lungs are concerned. Smoking up to a joint per day doesn't seem to decrease lung function, according to a study published in Jan. 11 edition of Journal of the American Medical Association.

In fact, occasional marijuana use was associated with slight increases in lung airflow rates and increases in lung volume, the study found.

Far from a license to light up, the study eases the worry among some health professionals that daily use of marijuana for medical reasons could have negative, long-term implications on pulmonary health.

The study, led by Mark Pletcher of the University of California, San Francisco, compared the effects of both cigarette and marijuana smoking over a period of 20 years in a group of more than 5,000 adults, part of a longitudinal study called Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA).

The data revealed nothing new about tobacco: As exposure to tobacco goes up, lung capacity in terms of the amount of air a smoker can exhale goes down. It's a linear relationship.

Not so with marijuana. More pot smoking was associated with increases in lung capacity up to a level equivalent to about one joint per day for seven years or one joint per week for up to 49 years. Only at levels of marijuana smoking higher than this did the researchers see a leveling off and then potential reversal of this relationship to improved lung capacity.

The increase in lung function at low levels was very small, said study researcher Stefan Kertesz, a professor of preventive?medicine?at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. It was about 50 milliliters, or the size of a kid's juice box.

The researchers don't know why light-to-moderate pot use might subtly improve lung function. It could be that marijuana users inadvertently train themselves to be good at the inhalation and exhalation test because they "practice" deep breathing when they smoke pot, Kertesz told LiveScience. The airflow increase, then, is not necessarily an indicator of healthier lungs.

At higher levels, this tiny increase seems to disappear and lung function may decrease, Kertesz said. The study included few heavy users, which may be one key to why pot smoking isn't as harmful as tobacco smoking.

"A marijuana smoker might have a few joints a month, or a small number of joints or pipe bowls a day," Kertesz said. "That's never going to be quite as much smoke as a tobacco smoker with a half-a-pack, pack-a-day or two packs-a-day habit." [Infographic: Who Still Smokes?]

But before you start lighting up, do remember you have other body parts. The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC travels to the brain, producing that high. The long-term effects of THC are uncertain, but most health professionals don't consider THC to be benign.

Chronic marijuana use has been associated with anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression. As reported earlier this month in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, THC may trigger psychosis by interfering with the brain's ability to distinguish between important and unimportant stimuli that constantly flood the various regions in the brain.

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Consumer borrowing surges as economy improves (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Americans are feeling confident enough in the economy to go back to a time-honored tradition ? taking on a little extra debt.

Consumer borrowing surged in November by $20.4 billion, the Federal Reserve said Monday. That's the largest monthly gain in a decade.

Consumers took out more loans to buy cars and swiped their credit cards frequently to purchase holiday gifts.

The Fed's category that measures credit card debt rose by $5.6 billion, the most since March 2008. Its gauge that tracks auto loans increased $14.8 billion, nearly matching July's gain that was the biggest since February 2005.

The third straight monthly increase in overall borrowing marks a departure from the more thrifty habits practiced during and immediately after the recession, when credit tumbled and the savings rate climbed.

Many Americans are taking on more debt after seeing the unemployment rate drop and the economy improve, albeit modestly.

Consumer confidence is up, holiday sales were solid and the U.S. auto industry is coming off its best two sales months for the year.

In December, employers added 200,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent, the government said Friday. It was the sixth month in a row that the economy had added at least 100,000 jobs, the longest streak since 2006. And the unemployment rate hasn't been that low in nearly three years.

A brighter outlook for the economy has prompted Americans to step up spending, even though their wages didn't keep pace with inflation in 2011. Many are tapping into their savings, or borrowing more, as a result.

Borrowing has increased in six of the past nine months. And consumers saved just 3.5 percent in November. That's the lowest savings rate since the recession began in December 2007.

Americans saved less than 3 percent of their after-tax income in the three years before the recession began. But in 2008, as the unemployment rate began to rise and home prices fell, consumers cut back on spending, borrowed less on their credit cards and saved more.

The annual savings rate rose above 5 percent in 2008 and stayed above that level until 2011. At the same time, consumer borrowing fell for 26 straight months, from October 2008 until December 2010.

With more jobs and better pay, consumers are likely to step up spending even further. That could lead more companies to add workers, which ultimately drives more spending and more hiring. Economists call that a virtuous cycle.

Economists caution that Europe's debt crisis could slow U.S. growth. A recession in Europe could dampen demand for U.S. exports and weaken financial markets.

The Federal Reserve's borrowing report covers auto loans, student loans and credit cards. It excludes mortgages, home equity loans and other loans tied to real estate.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120109/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/us_consumer_credit

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Nigeria Paralyzed by 'Occupy' Protests over Gas Prices (Time.com)

Oil-rich Nigeria ground to a halt Monday amid mass demonstrations and strikes protesting a government decision to end billions of dollars in fuel subsidies that saw pump prices double overnight. At least 20 people were wounded and at least three demonstrators were reportedly killed as police opened fire on protests in the country's business capital, Lagos, as well as in the largest northern city, Kano. Witnesses said police also attacked protesters with batons and tear gas overnight in the capital, Abuja. Banks, airports, gas stations and markets were closed throughout the country on Monday as streets in some of Africa's largest cities, normally blocked solid by traffic, were quiet but for the sound of protests. The violence against protesters comes in a security climate already clouded by mounting Muslim-Christian tensions that have seen an upsurge of sectarian violence in the north.

The demonstrations mark the start of what is expected to be a drawn-out battle that protest organizers have called Occupy Nigeria, adopting the brand name franchised by the Wall Street protests against economic inequality. But while the fuel-price hikes -- and their knock-on inflationary effect on the cost of food, power, telecommunications and other essentials -- may impoverish poorer Nigerians in the short term, government economists say ending subsidies is essential to the long-term prospects of reducing poverty. The subsidy cut has become the acid test of whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan will succeed in his effort to reform the economy of Africa's most populous country, and one of its most corrupt. (Read "Nigeria's Christmas Bombings Herald Muslim-Christian Conflict.")

Nigeria's economic plight, as well as the failure of its political leadership, is encapsulated by the fact that despite being Africa's largest producer of crude oil (ranked fifth among suppliers to the U.S.), it relies on imports for almost all of its own gasoline requirements. The ineptitude and corruption of successive governments has allowed Nigeria's own refineries to rot: funds allocated for maintenance and upgrades have gone missing, not least because annual subsidies to make imported fuel affordable -- which amounted to $8 billion in 2011 -- have earned fortunes for politically connected fuel importers, while killing off any incentive to regenerate domestic refining capacity. Almost all of the 2 million barrels a day of crude oil pumped in Nigeria is exported, while four domestic refineries operate at less than 25% capacity, according to industry estimates. And crime is rife: militants, state officials, army officers and others all siphon off crude oil to sell on the black market, while imported fuel is smuggled out of Nigeria and sold to countries where, without subsidies, fuel is three times the price. (See photos of the two sides of Lagos.)

But for many ordinary Nigerians, the import subsidy amounts to the only tangible benefit from their country's oil wealth, and they've previously fought -- and won -- battles to prevent its removal. Jonathan vows that this time, however, the government will not back down. "If I were in your shoes at this moment, I probably would have reacted in the same manner," he said in a speech on Saturday. But reform, and the fight against corruption, must take priority, he said, adding he would use the money saved to improve Nigeria's decaying infrastructure. "The deregulation policy is the strongest measure to tackle this challenge in downstream sector." As a gesture to skeptics, who say his administration is no less corrupt and self-aggrandizing than its predecessors, he also pledged to reduce salaries of all politicians in the executive branch, which exceed their counterparts in the U.S., by 25%.

Many Nigerians agree with Jonathan's diagnosis of Nigeria's problems but question his methods. "How can you ask people to tighten their belts when you run an obese system?" asked one protester via Twitter. Many believe money saved from the handout withdrawal will go straight into government coffers. "The politicians are using the money from oil to enrich themselves instead of rebuilding our country," said protester John Paul from Benue state in the southeast. "They are talking of building a new refinery, but our current refineries do not even work. They should fight corruption, not the fuel subsidy." Gbenga Bojuwomi, a member of the Youth Reformation Group Nigeria, added: "Why does everything boil down to the masses? Why should we suffer for the mistakes of the government?" At least for now, the credibility of Jonathan's presidency rests on whether Nigerians accept his answers to those questions.

See photos of a bombing in Nigeria.

View this article on Time.com

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Obama honors NBA?s Dallas Mavericks at White House

Lions Lowdown

We love them. We hate them. We love to suffer over them, but they are our Detroit Lions. Paula Pasche discusses the team fans want so desperately to return to its glory years as they rebuild.

Open Book

Pat Caputo is a sports columnist for The Oakland Press who covered the Tigers from 1986-98, and the Lions from 1998-2002.

Out of Left Field

A sometimes-irreverent look at Detroit's Boys of Summer, the Tigers, as they try to win their first American League Central title.

Beyond the Track

Matt Myftiu is news editor at The Oakland Press and has a background in sports writing and has had an unhealthy addiction to anything NASCAR for more than a decade.

Burney's Bytes

Scott M. Burnstein, covered high school sports for both the Detroit Free Press and the Oakland Press, and is the author of the 2006 regional best-selling book, The Motor City Mafia - A Century of Organized Crime in Detroit.

Pistons' Point

An inside look at the Detroit Pistons and the NBA with Dave Pemberton.

Red Wings Front

Chuck Pleiness posts news about injuries, line combinations, transactions, who's starting and who's scratched. Follow the Red Wings along with Chuck Pleiness.

Kosmo Seer Speculation

Kosmo is the all-knowing Oakland Press seer, of course.

The Back Page

Paul Kampe, a copy editor and page designer for The Oakland Press, is responsible for laying out the paper, hunting down spelling and grammatical errors and occasionally covering high school sports in Oakland County.

On Campus

Ross Maghielse has covered area high school sports for the paper since 2008 and began covering Big Ten and other college sports in 2011. Ross also works as the play-by-play broadcaster for our online web streaming of high school sports, which can be heard live on MIPrepZone.com.

Source: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2012/01/09/sports/doc4f0abe0de3805219557187.txt

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Bethenny Frankel Calls Jill Zarin 'A Survivor' (omg!)

Bethenny Frankel is taking the high road in the most recent "Real Housewives" alumni war of words.

Recently, her former "New York City" co-star, Jill Zarin, claimed responsibility for discovering Bethenny for Bravo, as the brunette reality star gears up to move on with Season 3 of her spin-off show, "Bethenny Ever After," on February 20 at 9 PM EST/PST. But, when given the opportunity to hit back - a reporter at Saturday's Television Critics Association Winter Session asked Bethenny if she had any advice for Jill, who was axed from the upcoming "RHONYC" cast -- the new mom took the high road.

PLAY IT NOW: Bethenny Frankel Responds To Her Critics: ?I Have Nothing To Hide!? (October 21, 2011)

"Jill Zarin is definitely a survivor and she is definitely well to do and I don't think she's worried about finding a job," Bethenny said. "It's difficult... She was on the show for years... In many of the [Real Housewives] cities people are only on for one or two seasons. It just happens they make it a little fresher and, I'm sure she'll find what exactly she's looking for."

Bethenny said she can understand that Jill might be a hurt by being cut from "RHONYC," while watching the Skinnygirl move on.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Reality Stars In Their Swimsuits

"It probably just stings a little bit, it's a little bit difficult and she has her own way of dealing with it," Bethenny said. "I'm sure it's difficult a little bit for her to watch what's going on for me."

As for Bethenny's own difficulties, including ones in her marriage to Jason Hoppy, she'll be sharing them in the new season of "Bethenny Ever After."

"I just turned 41, and to be perfectly honest, I unintentionally crammed everything in. I got pregnant, I got married... and I sold my business, or part of my business, and now we're just settling into what married life really is, without the excitement of the wedding and the baby and we come from totally different backgrounds and we're going through it. I'm in therapy," Bethenny said. "I've always been good at business, but I always struggled with relationships based on my background. And we kind of get into that this season."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: From Single ?SkinnyGirl? to Married Mom: ?Real Housewife? Bethenny Frankel

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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At White House, Obama cheers NBA champs Dallas Mavericks with ?heart ... the size of Texas?

The first basketball fan ? a passionate supporter of his hometown Bulls ? was nonetheless lavish in praising the Mavericks, who beat the Heat in six games last June.

?They know how good teams win,? Obama said. ?Not just by jumping higher or running faster, but by finding the open man, working together, staying mentally tough, being supportive of each other, playing smarter.?

He said that?s how Dallas ?took down some of the league?s best teams ... including the Miami Heat, who got a little bit of attention last year.?

The victory was sweet revenge for Dallas after it blew an NBA finals lead to the Heat five years earlier. It also upended the hope of Heat superstars James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for a championship in their first year playing together.

Monday?s ceremony reflected both the league?s current, lockout-shortened season and the determination of the colorful Cuban to make it happen. Typically, White House visits take place when a championship team plays in Washington. With such a short season, the Mavericks aren?t here this year. Cuban insisted on the ceremony anyhow.

?It?s tough to say no to Mark Cuban,? Obama said, to knowing laughter from his players.

Obama singled out the German-born Nowitzki, noting he played in the finals despite a painful finger injury and fever. ?Clearly Dirk is a tough guy, although the most painful thing may have been his rendition of ?We Are the Champions? during the victory celebrations,? the president said.

Mavericks guard Delonte West did not attend the event in the East Room, even though the Secret Service said he had been cleared along with his teammates.

West pleaded guilty to weapons possession charges after a September 2009 traffic stop in suburban Maryland. He told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he was ?banned? from the White House on Monday because of the weapons charges, but Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said in fact West could have taken part. A team spokeswoman, Sarah Melton, also said West was not banned from the White House ceremony but declined to comment on why he didn?t attend.

West was not a member of the championship squad but joined the Mavericks prior to this season.

___

Associated Press Writer Julie Pace in Washington and Schuyler Dixon in Dallas contributed to this report.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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