Berlusconi: if I win, Italians get home tax back

Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi delivers his speech at a gathering of supporters in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. Berlusconi is promising Italians if they vote him back into office that he will not only abolish an unpopular tax on primary residences, but he'll refund property taxes Premier Mario Monti's government made them pay in 2012. Berlusconi abolished the tax when last elected premier in 2008, but Monti, who replaced him in 2011 as Italy sunk into the Eurozone debt crisis, revived it to help fill state coffers. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi delivers his speech at a gathering of supporters in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. Berlusconi is promising Italians if they vote him back into office that he will not only abolish an unpopular tax on primary residences, but he'll refund property taxes Premier Mario Monti's government made them pay in 2012. Berlusconi abolished the tax when last elected premier in 2008, but Monti, who replaced him in 2011 as Italy sunk into the Eurozone debt crisis, revived it to help fill state coffers. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, foreground, sits in front of Northern League party's leader Roberto Maroni, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Silvio Berlusconi says Benito Mussolini did much good, except for dictator's regime's anti-Jewish laws. Berlusconi also defended Mussolini for siding with Hitler, saying the late fascist leader likely reasoned that German power would expand so it would be better for Italy to ally itself with Germany. He was speaking to reporters Sunday on the sidelines of a ceremony in Milan to commemorate the Holocaust. When Germany's Nazi regime occupied Italy during World War II, thousands from the tiny Italian Jewish community were deported to death camps. In 1938, before the war's outbreak, Mussolini's regime passed anti-Jewish laws, barring them from universities and many professions, among other bans. Berlusconi called the laws Mussolini's "worst fault" but insisted that in many other things, "he did good." (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi delivers his speech at a gathering of supporters in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. Berlusconi is promising Italians if they vote him back into office that he will not only abolish an unpopular tax on primary residences, but he'll refund property taxes Premier Mario Monti's government made them pay in 2012. Berlusconi abolished the tax when last elected premier in 2008, but Monti, who replaced him in 2011 as Italy sunk into the Eurozone debt crisis, revived it to help fill state coffers. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

ROME (AP) ? Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi on Sunday promised Italians that if they vote him back into office, he will abolish an unpopular tax on primary residences and refund property taxes Premier Mario Monti's government made them pay in 2012 as a key austerity measure to rescue the country from the eurozone debt crisis.

Berlusconi abolished the tax in 2008, when he was elected for a third term as premier, to fulfill a campaign promise. But the tax was immediately revived when Monti, an economist and former European Union commissioner, replaced him in 2011 as Italy sunk deeper into the debt crisis.

Berlusconi is a 76-year-old populist trying for a political comeback despite a recent criminal conviction for tax fraud and other judicial woes, including a trial in which he is charged with paying for sex with an underage teenage girl. He claims he is the innocent victim of prosecutors he contends sympathize with the left.

He told a gathering of applauding supporters in Milan that the property tax so spooked Italians that they cut back on buying consumer goods, and quit investing, aggravating the economic crisis in recession-mired Italy.

"This tax caused Italian families worry, anxiety, fear of the future," Berlusconi said, contending that tax so depressed the real estate market that 360,000 people become unemployed, including bricklayers, artisans, locksmiths and electricians.

He insisted the revenue lost by reimbursing homeowners the ?4 billion ($5.4 billion) they paid in property taxes could be compensated by eliminating state financing for political parties, raising taxes on non-essential goods like cigarettes and lottery tickets, and taxing Italians' financial instruments' income in Switzerland.

Cost-cutting measures to compensate the lost revenue would also include halving the number of legislators, a proposed reform that has gone nowhere including during Berlusconi's tenure in the premier's office.

The populist's center-right forces trail a center-left coalition in opinion polls before Feb. 24-25 elections. Monti, heading a centrist ticket, trails even farther back, but his forces could prove to hold the key to forming a coalition since no one ticket is expected to get enough seats in Parliament to govern alone.

Berlusconi didn't mention that his Freedom People legislators in Parliament approved nearly all of Monti's austerity measures, including the same property tax he is now vowing to eliminate at his first Cabinet meeting should he be victorious at the ballot box.

With the economy stagnant, unemployment rising and Italians growing weary of sacrifices imposed by the government, Berlusconi withdrew his party's support for Monti late last year, forcing elections to be called about two months ahead of time.

Monti sarcastically commented on Berlusconi's promise to reimburse property owners for the tax paid last year. "He's magnificent," Monti told reporters. "Berlusconi governed for so many years and maintained none, any of his promises," including one to reduce income taxes.

"What's more, he created many problems, so much so that he had to leave" office, Monti added. While Berlusconi is trying to be elected premier for the fourth time, "Italians have good memories, I believe," Monti said.

Berlusconi has been coy on whether he would be premier again should his forces should win the election. On Sunday, he added a new twist, saying he would be economy minister, joking that he would hold that post if his top aide "would let him."

Front-runner Pier Luigi Bersani has seen a slight drop in support in the polls for his center-left campaign coalition, possibly because of fallout from a widening scandal involving an Italian bank whose board included some backers from his Democratic Left Party. Running third in some polls and ahead of Monti is a comic and political agitator, Beppe Grillo.

The same polls have found that roughly a third of eligible voters saying they are either undecided or won't vote.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-03-Italy-Berlusconi/id-76220f5a1d684cb2a09d3351893aba15

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Jared Bernstein: January Jobs Report: First Impressions

Payrolls were up by 157,000 and the unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9 percent in January, according to today's release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Revisions to the payroll survey added 127,000 jobs to the counts for November (up 247K) and December (196K) such that over the past three months, payrolls were up an average of 200,000 per month, compared with about 150,000 over the three prior months. Revisions for the year 2012 show that the job market added about 335,000 more jobs than in the pre-revised data. Whether this acceleration sticks in coming months bears close watching.

The better jobs performance in the last quarter of 2012 goes against the sharp slowdown in GDP growth as reported earlier this week (down 0.1 percent). I expect that GDP figure will be revised up in forthcoming reports.

Unemployment remains around 8 percent, and, in fact, has been in a range from 7.8 percent to 8.2 percent since March of last year. Average hourly earnings were up 2.1 percent over past year, a bit ahead of inflation, so real wages are up a bit. The share of the unemployed who are "long-termers" -- jobless for at least half-a-year -- has also come down a bit to about 38 percent in January; it was 43 percent a year ago.

On the other hand, the weekly earnings of middle- and lower-wage workers (blue collar in manufacturing; non-managers in services) are up only 1.2 percent over the past year, before accounting for inflation. The difference in wage trends between the average and this less well-off group suggests that higher wage workers may be getting ahead more quickly than middle- and lower-wage workers.

The retail sector added 33,000 jobs and construction was up 28,000 in January and 30,000 in December. Since reaching their low point in early 2011, jobs in construction have bounced back and are up almost 300,000 since then, with 80,000 of those jobs added over the past three months. Some of this may have to do with repairing the damage from hurricane Sandy. In a continuation of a longer-term trend, government employment was down 9,000 driven by losses at the federal and local levels.

In sum, the job market did a bit better than we thought last year, especially towards the end of the year, but the jobless rate remains stuck around 8 percent. Paychecks are slightly ahead of inflation on average, but not so for workers in lower paid occupations. Revised data show slightly faster job growth than we thought last year, but slower GPD growth and the threat of across the board government spending cuts to the tune of $85 billion starting in March could undermine even the slow progress we're making.

This post originally appeared at Jared Bernstein's On The Economy blog.

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Follow Jared Bernstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/econjared

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jared-bernstein/january-jobs-report_b_2598528.html

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NBC News president Steve Capus stepping down

NEW YORK (AP) ? NBC News President Steve Capus, who presided over years of strong ratings at the news division and expanded digital offerings but was hurt by the downfall of the "Today" show, said Friday that he was resigning.

The Philadelphia-area native joined NBC News 20 years ago and produced various newscasts for Brian Williams before being appointed news division president by Jeff Zucker, at the time chief of NBC Universal, on the week that Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005.

NBC parent company Comcast Corp.'s decision last year to appoint Pat Fili-Krushel to a supervisory role over the company's news properties signaled to many that Capus' tenure was nearing an end. His contract gave Capus an opt-out provision and he chose to exercise it. Capus said in an email to staff members that "it is now time to head in a new direction," although he hasn't said what that might be.

"I have seldom described my role as presiding over NBC News," Capus said. "Instead, I have viewed it as leading a collaborative effort to pursue journalistic excellence."

A primary yardstick for network news' success is the ratings for the flagship evening news program, and NBC's broadcast with Williams has held on to the top spot. Capus has expanded NBC's reach with specialty websites aimed at black and Latino audiences, and reached a deal to take over all responsibility for the main NBC news site, buying out Microsoft's stake.

Capus also oversaw the MSNBC and CNBC news division. MSNBC has become profitable through its decision to skew liberal in its commentary.

Tim Russert's sudden death forced Capus to revamp the Sunday morning political talk show "Meet the Press," where David Gregory has run hot and cold since taking over.

The profitable "Today" show has taken a hard fall in the past year and now runs a consistent second to ABC's "Good Morning America." NBC was widely criticized for mismanagement of Ann Curry's dismissal as "Today" anchor last summer. Jim Bell, the show's executive producer, stepped down last fall.

Fili-Krushel set out a new temporary management structure, increasing the authority of executives Alex Wallace and Antoine Sanfuentes, until she names a successor.

"NBC News is America's leading source of television news and Steve has been a big part of that success," Fili-Krushel said in a memo to staff members.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nbc-news-president-steve-capus-stepping-down-172906898.html

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Crises Communications and the internet: Friend or foe? | Fleishman ...

The internet has without a doubt caused a wave of change in corporate culture, operations, and interpersonal interaction. Companies have in the past, made use of the internet as a means to communicate to their audiences in a controlled environment. However, technology has advanced at a remarkable rate and companies have had to rethink their strategies in order to effectively communicate with stakeholders. One cannot deny that there has been a major shift in communication processes and that technology has imposed a sink or swim reality on the way that many people do business.

Method to the madness?

In today?s world, people share experiences more so than ever because they have been given the tools to do so through the internet and social platforms. For some, the world is in some sort of technological turmoil with tablets being used as learning tools in schools, cell phones in both pockets, and televisions everywhere including our bathrooms.

However for the most part, the internet comes as a sort of saving grace because people can gain access to content and create it at almost the same rate. We as humans also enjoy the idea of sharing experiences and the internet provides the perfect platform to do so. From a consumer perspective, a friend?s personal experience is seemingly more credible than the dictated reality that is handed to us by brands. User-generated content is more common than ever and companies have had to adapt to losing a piece of the messaging pie.

The effect on a company?s reputation in a crisis

Time is an invaluable commodity that companies have lost. How so you may ask? In the past companies were able to compose themselves in a crisis situation as they had the power to control messaging to a certain extent. That no longer exists. Information now spreads like wild fire before any authoritative body can put out the flames. People no longer need to have a degree to make their views known to the mass public as everyone has become a ?publisher? in their own right.

This reality has not only confirmed the importance of crisis communications but also that of effective and strategic communications. Social media is immediate and the increase in the speed at which we are receiving news directly affects reaction times in a crisis situation. A large number of websites link to platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and various blogs. Consumers have raised their expectations regarding the way that companies interact with them on a daily basis and more so during a crisis. Therefore companies need to have a crisis plan in place to manage these expectations when faced with a crisis.

By the time a crisis hits, you?re no longer looking at preventative measures and the team in place needs to be able to manage the negative impact that the situation has had and will have on the company?s reputation. Part of effective crisis communications involves strategic decision making in order to handle the crisis environment.

The internet broadens the environment whether the company in question likes it or not. Furthermore, the advancements in technology would mean that the details of a crisis are almost instantly made aware to the worldwide media, bloggers, and internet users at large. This could have immense effects on the company if the crisis team underestimates the power of virtual opinion. The speed at which negative conversations have the potential to spread, means that crisis communication teams need to have the response protocol models in place to manage the ?uncontrolled environment? that is social media.

So how does one gain control in a seemingly uncontrollable environment?

User-generated content is important for research purposes during a crisis. Social media can be a crisis management tool as it provides companies with the means to gather intelligence ?straight from the horse?s mouth?.

It is very possible to crumble when you?re receiving a mass influx of negative commentary or opinions about your organisation. However, the person that said the glass is half full and not empty was onto something. The internet and social media is a platform to gain insight into first hand public opinion. This is beneficial in a crisis situation because the company can better direct their messaging and communication to suit the audience?s needs.

Social media channels offer invaluable insight during a crisis situation as the information is immediate and readily available. Furthermore, social media provides an additional platform for companies to engage their audiences. Social media facilitates the process of information sharing, providing the company with key consumer feedback. The internet is not only used for spreading information, it is also important to gain insight and to learn about stakeholder concerns. This information helps companies structure an effective crisis plan to guide the crisis team during a crisis.

But it doesn?t end there. The manner in which a company responds to complaints and communicates with its audiences during a crisis is a fundamental component of the right response strategy. Companies should ensure that responses are timely, accurate and that they are consistent with any messaging communicated through traditional media channels.

Applying this to your crisis situation

Monitor ? It is important that companies monitor social conversation on a regular basis and not only in the advent of a crisis because news breaks online before it appears in papers. Companies can use various online monitoring tools such as Radian 6, to track mentions relating to their business or to the crisis.

Manage ? Companies need to direct conversation and manage messages in an uncontrolled environment. There are a number of strategies that could be implemented to achieve this, one being maximising established relationships with influencers. Online influencers tell your story for you, they have a large following, and thus hold the ability to change perceptions within the consumer market.

What can we make of this?

Hate it or love it, the internet has become a great thought sharing platform. This in itself could be a crisis for an unprepared team or it could be a strategic match made in heaven.

Pascale Kalambaie is an Account Executive on Fleishman-Hillard?s Consumer portfolio.

Source: http://fleishman.co.za/2013/01/crises-communications-and-the-internet-friend-or-foe/

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Wal-Mart limits ammo sales after demand surges

1 hr.

Reuters

Wal-Mart has started to limit sales of ammunition to three boxes per customer per day due to limited supplies, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.?

Sales of guns and ammunition have risen across the United States since the December 14 shooting at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school.?

Walmart U.S., is the largest unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, which is the world's largest retailer and the largest U.S. gun seller. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer had said that it works to strike the right balance between serving hunters and sportsmen and ensuring that it sells firearms responsibly.?

"In order to take care of as many customers as possible, starting Thursday, January 24, all ammunition sales were limited to three boxes per customer, per day as supply is limited at this time," spokeswoman Ashley Hardie told Reuters on Wednesday.?

Wal-Mart was a charter member of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's coalition against illegal guns and adopted a 10-point code established by the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership that goes beyond what the law requires.?

Data released on Monday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Instant Criminal Background Check System showed that nine of the top 10 days for firearms checks from November 30, 1998, to January 27, 2013, including December 14, 2012, occurred since Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School and then shot and killed himself. Lanza also killed his mother before the school massacre.?

Wal-Mart's policy change was reported earlier by The City Wire, an Arkansas news outlet.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wal-mart-limits-sales-ammo-after-demand-surges-1B8189699

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SUPER BOWL WATCH: Beyonce, avocados, practice

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2012, file photo, Green Bay Packers' Donald Driver tries to fire up the crowd before the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers all-time leading receiver announced his retirement Thursday morning, Jan. 31, 2013, with a public ceremony planned for Feb. 6 at the Lambeau Field Atrium. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2012, file photo, Green Bay Packers' Donald Driver tries to fire up the crowd before the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers all-time leading receiver announced his retirement Thursday morning, Jan. 31, 2013, with a public ceremony planned for Feb. 6 at the Lambeau Field Atrium. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer, File)

Beyonce answers questions during an NFL football Super Bowl XLVII news conference at the New Orleans Convention Center, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. in New Orleans. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) passes as tight end Delanie Walker (46) waits to run a route during practice on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, in New Orleans. The 49ers are scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game on Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2007 photo, California grown avocados are seen on display at a market in Mountain View, Calif. So why the avocado and why the Super Bowl? It helped that the avocado season happens to hit its prime right around kickoff. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith prepares to catch a pass as he warms up during an NFL Super Bowl XLVII football practice on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, in New Orleans. The Ravens face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Around Super Bowl XLVII and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of everything surrounding the game:

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GRIDIRON TO LEMONADE STAND

Donald Driver didn't waste much time finding a new job.

The Green Bay Packers all-time leading receiver announced his retirement Thursday morning, then helped kids from Junior Achievement sell lemonade at a pop-up stand in the Super Bowl media center.

Not only did Driver help behind the counter, he loaded up four carrying cases and he and his three new friends set out to find customers. Their cases were empty when they returned.

"All the money they've raised will stay here in New Orleans," Driver said. "What they're starting to do is learn how to run their own business, become entrepreneurs by themselves.

"I'm just here to raise as much money so maybe they can open up their own lemonade stand the next couple of years.

? Nancy Armour ? http://twitter.com/nrarmour

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JUDGE FOR YOURSELF: BEYONCE

Wondering about Beyonce and her response inauguration lip syncing flap?

Judge for yourself ? here's her full rendition of the national anthem during a press conference Thursday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p2MTKCLNsY

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QUICKQUOTE: JERSEYS AND DRUGS

Authorities say buying a cheap imitation NFL jersey may be more harmful than you think.

Kevin Abar, assistant special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Mexico, said there's evidence that Mexican drug cartels are getting involved in the counterfeit NFL black market trade because they can make quick money.

"A lot of folks may think that there's nothing wrong with buying a knockoff Denver Broncos jersey, but in reality, the money is being used to fund the drug war in Mexico," Abar said.

? Michael Kunzelman ? http://twitter.com/Kunzelman75

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STAT OF THE DAY: 158M AVOCADOS

AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch has the stat of the day today: Americans are expected to consume 158 million avocados around the Super Bowl.

That's 79 million pounds of green goodness ? up from 8 million pounds at the turn of the century.

So has the guacamole improved that much? Not really, it's just outstanding marketing and other factors.

? J.M. Hirsch ? http://twitter.com/JM_Hirsch

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YUP, WE HEARD YOU, BEYONCE

Beyonce belted out the national anthem ? for real ? and America clearly heard.

Shortly after the singer's press conference on Thursday where she admitted singing to a backup track during President Barack Obama's inauguration, "National Anthem" became a trending topic in the United States on Twitter.

Millions of fans clearly approved of her impromptu performance, now reassured that her pipes are still fine.

? Oskar Garcia ? http://twitter.com/oskargarcia .

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NO TAPE NEEDED

Beyonce's version of the national anthem was worth the wait.

The superstar singer, roundly criticized for lip syncing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the inauguration 10 days ago, walked into Thursday's news conference for the Super Bowl halftime show and asked the ballroom filled with several hundred people to stand. She then belted out a spine-tingling version of the anthem, leaving no doubts about the power of her voice. Many in the room applauded when she finished.

"Thank you guys so much. Any questions?" Beyonce said, drawing laughs.

Beyonce admitted she sang along with a pre-recorded track at the inauguration, saying she hadn't had time to rehearse with the orchestra. This was too big of an occasion to have it be anything less than perfect, she said.

"I did not feel comfortable taking a risk," she said. "This was about the president and the inauguration and I wanted to make my country proud."

She did promise to sing live Sunday, however.

"I am well-rehearsed," she said. "This was what I was born to do."

That was about all Beyonce was willing to spill, though. She wouldn't say what she'll be singing, though she did say it was "not easy" to choose a few songs from her many hits.

"All of my songs are like my children," she said.

As for that rumored Destiny's Child reunion, Beyonce wouldn't confirm it.

She didn't deny it, though, either.

"I can't really give you any details," she said. "I'm sorry."

? Nancy Armour ? http://twitter.com/nrarmour

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TURF WARS

The Baltimore Ravens don't like the artificial turf at Tulane's baseball field.

So they've moved to the Saints' facility instead.

The San Francisco 49ers were already training at the Saints' complex in nearby Metairie.

The AFC champions were forced to practice in the outfield of the baseball facility Wednesday because Tulane has broken ground on a new football stadium. Coach John Harbaugh, star linebacker Ray Lewis and several other players said it was "hard on the legs."

After the Ravens approached the league about practicing on grass, the NFL arranged for them to follow the 49ers at the Saints training fields.

? Barry Wilner

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10 ADS TO WATCH

If you're a fan of Super Bowl ads, here are 10 to look out for during Sunday's game. With more than 111 million people expected to tune in, it's advertising's biggest showcase.

1. Samsung Mobile's 2-minute ad with "Knocked Up" actors Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen, directed by Jon Favreau ("Iron Man"). The company has not released details about the ad's plot other than to say that it shows Rogen and Rudd on a "quest to become the next big thing." Teaser here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzfAdmAtYIY

2. Best Buy's 30-second ad in the first quarter stars Amy Poehler, star of NBC's "Parks and Recreation," asking a Best Buy employee "lots of questions." Teaser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcmW8HCuLo8

3. Kraft enlists Tracy Morgan from NBC's "30 Rock" to introduce its new Mio Fit water enhancing drops in a 30-second ad during the third quarter. Teaser: http://www.youtube.com/user/makeitmio?feature=watch

4. Hyundai Motor Group's Kia invents a fanciful way that babies are made, blasting in from a baby planet in its "Space babies" ad for the 2014 Sorento crossover. Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/KiaMotorsAmerica?feature=watch

5. First-time advertiser Paramount Farms is touting its Wonderful Pistachios brand of nuts in a 30-second ad with Korean pop sensation Psy. The campaign: http://getcrackin.com/

6. First-time advertiser Axe shows a woman in the ocean getting rescued by a sexy lifeguard, but going for an astronaut instead. It promotes Axe's new cologne "Apollo" and its contest to send someone on the first suborbital space tour in 2014. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGoU3VH7He4

7. Audi's 60-second ad in the first quarter, with an ending voted on by viewers, shows a boy gaining confidence from driving his father's Audi to the prom, kissing the prom queen and getting decked by the prom king. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhmS6QLd5Q

8. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay's Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" ads are back for the seventh straight year. Two 30-second commercials made by consumers will make it on the air. Fans voted for one winner and Doritos chose the other.

9. Ford Motor Co. enlisted late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon to choose road trip stories submitted by Twitter with the hashtag (hash)steerthescript to base its Super Bowl commercial for Lincoln. The ad features rapper Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons, Wil Wheaton, who acted in the iconic science-fiction series "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

10. The Milk Processor Education Program, known as MilkPep and popular for its "Got Milk?" print ads, is featuring actor and professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in a 30-second ad in the second quarter that is directed by Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights.")

? Mae Anderson

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BEYONCE, BUT WHO ELSE?

There's lots of hype for Beyonce's halftime performance at the Super Bowl, but she's far from the only A-list act in New Orleans this week.

The NFL has announced Jennifer Hudson is planning to sing "America the Beautiful" before the game with the chorus from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Just add her to the already packed list. It also includes:

? Justin Timberlake, in his first major musical performance in four years (hosting Saturday Night Live doesn't count ? he hasn't been an official musical guest on the show since 2006).

? Stevie Wonder

? CeeLo Green with his old hip-hop clique, Goodie Mob.

?Rascal Flatts with Journey.

And then there's the parties. Lil Wayne is throwing a bash. Jay-Z will host another event the night before his wife, Beyonce, takes stage. Jamie Foxx and Santigold are also performing, while DJs including Diplo and Questlove from The Roots are spinning.

Not that it's ever difficult, but it's extra easy to find a party in New Orleans the next few days.

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? Stacey Plaisance

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PUTTING POLITICS ASIDE FOR NEW ORLEANS

Long working on opposite sides of the American political spectrum, James Carville and Mary Matalin are pulling in the same direction when it comes to promoting their adopted home of New Orleans as a Super Bowl host.

Carville, a longtime Democratic strategist, and Matalin, a Republican pundit, are the co-chairs of the Super Bowl host committee. They're also married.

They've been making the rounds together from one event to the next in the convention center, which houses both the NFL Experience theme park and work stations for several thousand international media.

Carville is from Louisiana and the couple married in New Orleans. Then in 2008, they decided to move here from Washington, D.C. Now living in a stately home just two blocks off of historic St. Charles Avenue, they've been among the biggest boosters of the Big Easy's recovery from Hurricane Katrina, lending their support to a variety of community projects with goals ranging from restoration of fragile coastal wetlands to education and economic development.

The pair agree that while organizing a Super Bowl doesn't cost as much as a presidential campaign, it's just as hard because it's a multiyear project with a lot of moving parts.

Carville says he's always been a sports fan so the transition was natural for him. Matalin says one obvious goal is to get New Orleans back in the regular rotation as a Super Bowl host, but the larger goal is to help the city's future by demonstrating how successfully it can host one of the biggest single events in the sports world. While New Orleans is hosting its 10th Super Bowl, the NFL championship has not been played there since 2002.

Says Carville: "If it goes the way we hope it does, it'll go beyond economic impact. It'll go beyond who won the game. It think there's something significant that's coming to a point here in the city."

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? Brett Martel ? http://twitter.com/brettmartel

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ZOO VS ZOO

File this in the quirky Super Bowl wager department: Zoos in Baltimore and San Francisco are gambling with the homes of two ravens and a rhino.

Leaders of The Maryland Zoo and The San Francisco Zoological Gardens have wagered naming rights to their respective exhibits with ties to their hometown football teams.

The zoo in Baltimore is home to official Ravens mascots, Rise and Conquer. If 49ers win, it will rename the ravens' enclosure the "San Francisco 49ers exhibit."

If the Ravens win, the San Francisco zoo has agreed to re-name the enclosure of its black rhino "Boone," who is named after the 49ers offensive tackle Alex Boone, in honor of the Ravens.

The new name would last one month, starting Feb. 11.

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CATCHING THE COUNTERFEITERS

Shop wisely when looking for those Super Bowl souvenirs.

Federal officials have seized more than 163,000 counterfeit items worth more than $13.6 million over the last five months as part of Operation Red Zone, John Morton, director of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, said. That's a "significant" increase from last year, when about $5 million worth of merchandise was seized.

"Everything from hats to jerseys to Nike shoes. My personal favorite is this counterfeit Super Bowl ring from Super Bowl XLIV," Morton said, holding up a massive gold ring. "It's actually quite heavy and a better counterfeit than most. Just goes to show you the lengths people will go in this business."

Equally troubling are websites selling counterfeit merchandise, some so sophisticated they include anti-virus logos and the seal of the Better Business Bureau ? making them almost impossible to tell them apart from legitimate vendors.

Morton said federal officials have already seized domain names of 313 web sites, almost all of which originated overseas.

"Imagine what's going on when you're putting your credit card through this site. Really think about that," Morton said. "The site is being run by overseas criminals in Asia.... You can imagine what the result is, and sadly many, many of these sites come with malware and other unfortunate ornaments on the Christmas tree."

The easiest way to make sure fans are buying legitimate merchandise is to buy from an official vendor, Morton said. Each team has one, as does the NFL.

But the best way fans can prevent being scammed is to use common sense, Morton said. Look closely at items, and there will be signs they're fakes. If there are extra words in a website address ? com.us ? or misspellings, that's almost always a dead giveaway.

"We're not letting up," Morton said. "We'll have teams out the next couple of days looking for counterfeit and scam artists."

? Nancy Armour ? http://twitter.com/nrarmour

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RENO: THE KAEPERNICK EFFECT

Casinos in the Biggest Little City in the World are expecting a bump in Super Bowl betting this year thanks to 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, maybe enough to help Nevada set a record in wagering on the game.

Kaepernick played college football at Nevada, just down the street from casinos in Reno.

Now, most of those casinos are offering an especially large number of proposition bets on the quarterback.

Kaep-mania has run so rampant in Reno that sporting goods stores can't keep stocked in jerseys. More than 7,000 fans set what Nevada officials said was a world record when they all simultaneously kissed their arms "Kaepernicking style" during a break in last week's basketball game against San Diego State.

A Kaepernick viewing party is planned during Sunday's game at the student union.

? Scott Sonner

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NO MORE TALKING

The players can focus on football now ? they're officially done talking to the media.

Ravens safety Ed Reed was the last guy at the podium on Thursday. After he finished talking with reporters, he scooped up a blue placard with his name on it.

"I'm going to give it to my mother," he said.

He said he's very glad that his interviews are done for the week.

Players had three hourlong sessions during the week, and Reed had another press availability on Monday.

The coaches for the 49ers and Ravens will speak with reporters again on Friday morning.

? Paul Newberry ? http://twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

BROTHERLY ADVICE: BROOK LOPEZ

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh are hardly the only high-profile siblings who've squared off in their arena of expertise. The AP is asking some others who can relate how they'd handle going against a family member in the Super Bowl.

Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez said after scoring 21 points in a loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night that it's a combination of joy and competitiveness.

"I know they're just going to treat it as a game. That's how I treat it whenever I play Robin," Brook Lopez said. "I know they will enjoy it as well. But if I have any experience playing against Robin growing up, I know it's going to be competitive. I know they're going to want to beat each other."

Brook's brother, Robin, plays for the New Orleans Hornets.

? Brian Mahoney ? http://twitter.com/briancmahoney

___

SORRY, MOM

The way Jack Harbaugh tells the story, Jackie Harbaugh was so shocked by her eldest son's decision to choose coaching over a career in law or politics, she fell face-first into a dish of mashed potatoes.

See, Jackie Harbaugh loves political science and politics. And as a political science major at Bowling Green with a high grade-point, John Harbaugh seemed headed for law school.

"Jackie was so excited about it," Jack Harbaugh said.

But both of the Harbaugh boys had been bitten by the coaching bug early. The practice fields at Iowa and Michigan were their playground, and they knew more about coaching before they got out of grade school than some veteran assistants.

"He came home one day and we're sitting around the table and we're having dinner. Jackie says, 'John, what law school will it be?' John said, 'Mom, I think I want to try coaching,' Jack Harbaugh said. "To which Jackie went facedown into the mashed potatoes. She said, 'What? Coaching? You've got to reconsider!'"

That's not exactly what happened, Jackie Harbaugh said.

"May I tell the truth? There were no mashed potatoes," she said. "When he came home and talked about (coaching) and I saw that look in his eyes, my feeling was, you have to do what you want to do. If you want to try this and see where it takes you, that would be great."

Seems like he made the right choice. After making the playoffs in each of his first four seasons, John Harbaugh has the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl on Sunday, where they'll face his brother Jim's San Francisco 49ers.

? Nancy Armour ? http://twitter.com/nrarmour

___

EATING RIGHT

How about some home cookin' in the Big Easy ? as in 150 plates of it to feed a football team? That's what Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones' mother, Emily, presented the Baltimore players for dinner this week at the team hotel to kick off Super Bowl prep New Orleans-style.

"Gumbo, jambalaya, potato salad, bread pudding, macaroni, the whole nine yards. She made 150 plates," Jones said. "All they kept saying is she put her foot in it. I love it."

That's a real compliment around here.

Now, Jones might give his mother a break.

"I'm going to let her be. I might buy me some crawfish or something."

And he knows all the best spots in New Orleans to get it.

? Janie McCauley ? http://twitter.com/janieMcCAP

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Super Bowl Watch" shows you the Super Bowl and the events surrounding the game through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across New Orleans and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-31-Super%20Bowl%20Watch-Package/id-e958daf3a9524a5e9456baead9a090ac

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