The parallels between Mitt Romney and his father, George — both businessmen, both Republican governors of blue states, both presidential candidates — make for tantalizing psychological comparisons. ¶ Is the younger Romney less concerned about economic fairness than was his late father, who helped create Michigan’s first income tax and famously returned a big bonus when he was chief executive of American Motors? Does Mitt’s cautious style reflect the bitter experience of George, whose 1968 presidential run collapsed after he used the term “brainwashing” to explain his early support for the Vietnam War? ¶ Such speculation can certainly be entertaining for political junkies hoping to glimpse the soul of a would-be president. However, the contrast between father and son reveals less about Mitt Romney’s state of mind than it does about America’s. If Mitt has a tin ear for the concerns of the needy, if he goes along with, rather than resists, the rightward turn of his party , he is simply mirroring the disturbing transformations of American business and politics in recent decades. In his public and private careers, the younger Romney has emulated the retreat of corporate elites and the Republican Party from the model of economic partnership and cross-party compromise that the elder Romney exemplified. ¶ At a moment when America needs both business innovation and effective oversight, vigorous growth as well as economic fairness , we would be better off with George, rather than Mitt, in the White House. Read full article > >

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Romney is the right man for America. George Romney, that is.

The romantic drama “The Vow” looks like the kind of annual Valentine’s Day staple that arrives just as calls start flooding flower shops and chocolate bonbon displays invade your local CVS. Not only do stars Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams know their way around tearful breakups and torrential reunions (Two words: “ The Notebook ”), but the plot follows the familiar path of true love against all odds. Read full article > >

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Going Out Guide movie review: ‘The Vow’

JERUSALEM — A Jerusalem court ruled has ruled against plans to build a luxury housing development on the remains of a Palestinian village abandoned in the 1948 war that followed the establishment of Israel. Read full article > >

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Israeli court grants reprieve to abandoned Palestinian village

Heresy alert: I thought the Clint Eastwood ad for Chrysler during the Super Bowl was great. I saw it when it originally aired and my first thought was not of President Obama. Maybe Republicans see his hidden hand more often than we should. Obama isn’t everywhere subverting the American dream — he is almost everywhere subverting the American dream. Read full article > >

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Sometimes a Chrysler ad is just a Chrysler ad

T he 2012 U.S. elections could be the most exciting and consequential in years. In Wisconsin, we might be looking at political Armageddon. Wisconsin is a swing state in the presidential race. There is a wide-open contest for the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Democrat Herb Kohl . Read full article > >

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Who’s progressive in Wisconsin

As Valentine's Day draws near, the romantically inclined among you are officially in full-on scheming mode. You could partake in a heavy, pricey, prix-fixe meal with one hundred other canoodling strangers at the city's “most romantic” restaurant – or you could go the trés romantique route and woo your beloved the homemade way. For dessert, might we propose a soufflé? Jacques Capsouto, owner of soufflé-centric French bistro Capsouto Frères , is here to deflate the myth of soufflés as kitchen catastrophe. All that's required is a little heart, a soupçon of practice time, a foolproof recipe and someone to share it all with. Soufflé Makes 6 Ingredients Chocolate mixture (recipe below) 8 dashes Grand Marnier or orange liqueur 6 four-inch ramekins, buttered and sugared 16 egg whites (2 cups) Dash of cream of tartar or salt 6 Tbsp confectioners' sugar Chocolate sauce (recipe below) 6 oz crème Chantilly (recipe below) Cooking Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, combine the chocolate mixture with two dashes of Grand Marnier. Add a dash of liqueur in each ramekin. In another bowl with a mixer, add egg whites and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently and quickly fold the next third and then the last third. Divide evenly into the six ramekins; tap on the counter to settle and wipe off excess. Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes until puffed and golden. (Do not open the oven while the soufflés are cooking.) Serve immediately. At the table, gently pierce the top of soufflé, pour in some of the chocolate sauce and top with crème Chantilly. Chocolate Mixture Ingredients 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup cocoa powder (extra bitter) 3/4 Tbsp butter (melted) Vanilla extract Salt (couple of pinches) Cooking Directions In a pot, bring sugar and water to a boil; allow to cool. Sift cocoa powder into syrup mixture. Add melted butter, vanilla and salt; stir. Chocolate Sauce Ingredients 1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate 1 Tbsp butter 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup sugar Cooking Directions Melt chocolate with butter in double boiler . In a separate pot, bring milk, cream and sugar to a boil. Whisk milk, cream and sugar mixture into chocolate; slowly incorporate each amount before adding more. Crème Chantilly Ingredients 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1 tsp sugar 1 dash pure vanilla extract Cooking Directions Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl; beat until thick, either by hand or with a mixer. Do not overbeat. Sugar and vanilla may be adjusted according to taste.

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Rise to the occasion with homemade chocolate soufflé

After recent national anthem flubs by Steven Tyler , Cyndi Lauper and, most notably, Christina Aguilera during last year’s Super Bowl, Kelly Clarkson had a clear task ahead of her during Super Bowl XLVI : sing ”The Star Spangled Banner” without screwing it up. Read full article > >

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Super Bowl 2012: Was Kelly Clarkson’s national anthem flawless? (Poll)

In an interview with CNN Wednesday morning that should have been a Florida victory lap , former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney made a fumble that could give rivals an attack ad sound bite. Asked about his economic plan, Romney said repeatedly that he was not concerned with very poor Americans, but was focused instead on helping the middle class. Read full article > >

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Romney, citing safety net, says he’s ‘not concerned about the very poor’

A harsh new ad from former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney uses news footage from 1997 to remind voters of then-House speaker Newt Gingrich ’s ethics violations. “History Lesson” is unusual in that neither Romney nor Gingrich appears. The entire 30-second spot consists of an NBC News report from Jan. 21, 1997, the day Gingrich was reprimanded by Congress for using tax-exempt money for political purposes and giving the House Ethics Committee false information. Read full article > >

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NBC objects to Mitt Romney’s ‘history lesson’ ad

The average 30-year mortgage rate rose to 3.98 percent Thursday, reflecting a 0.10 percentage point jump after setting a new historic low last week, according to Freddie Mac. Despite the jump, the 30-year fixed rate has remained below 4 percent for eight weeks, and the Federal Reserve yesterday indicated it plans to keep interest rates at zero for some time. Read full article > >

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Mortgage rates rise to 3.98 percent

Will focus on fixing the economy, appealing to middle class.

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Obama to Push for Tax Reform

Democrats and their allies in organized labor say they delivered over a million recall petition signatures against Gov. Scott Walker (R) Tuesday, far more than the 540,208 needed to spark a recall election. Read full article > >

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Over a million signatures filed to force recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

The hottest moment of Monday night’s debate came when Newt Gingrich was asked by Fox News commentator and debate moderator Juan Williams whether he understood why his statements that poor kids should grab a mop and do some janitorial work in their schools had been seen as insulting: Read full article > >

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Jackie Gingrich Cushman, child janitor: ‘I had so much satisfaction’

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney ’s back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire over the past 16 days have established him as the heavy favorite for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. Read full article > >

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Two reasons why South Carolina is Mitt Romney’s toughest test

Former Essex cricketer Mervyn Westfield has become the first English player to be convicted of so called spot fixing during a match in 2009.

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Cricketer admits spot bet charge