Beware the costly, complicated AMT

Taxes » Income Taxes » Beware The Costly, Complicated AMTThree letters, AMT, are striking tax fear in the hearts of more and more middle-class filers.These folks are simply trying to use the tax code, legally, to lower their annual Internal Revenue Service bills. They claim exemptions for eligible dependents, deduct the interest on their mortgage and associated equity loan, and write off the state...

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Global shares buoyed by Alcoa earnings, dollar gains on yen

LONDON (Reuters) - World shares staged a modest recovery from two days of losses on Wednesday after aluminum giant Alcoa opened the U.S. earnings season with an optimistic outlook for world demand. However, with European and British central banks due to hold policy meetings on Thursday, the same day Spain will test demand for its debt and China releases its latest trade data, investors...

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'Bama bashes Notre Dame 42-14 in BCS title game

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Barely taking time to celebrate their latest national championship, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are ready to get back to work.That's how they make it look so easy.In what must be an increasingly frustrating scene for the rest of college football, another season ended with Saban and his players frolicking in the middle of a confetti-strewn field. Eddie Lacy ran...

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Why Al Jazeera deal doesn't seem right

STORY HIGHLIGHTSAl Gore sold Current to al Jazeera and could net an estimated $70 millionHoward Kurtz: Gore's Current network failed to gain an identity or viewers He says it's odd that the former vice president is selling to an oil-rich potentateKurtz: Al Jazeera may have a tough time getting traction with U.S. viewersEditor's note: Howard Kurtz is the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" and is Newsweek's...

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Ryan Lochte gets E! reality show

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – You saw this one coming, right? Swimmer Ryan Lochte is getting a reality show on E!The Olympic gold medal winner – known for his catchphrase “Jeah” (pronounced zh-yah) – will star in “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” The series will follow him as he meets women, copes with the fallout of his mom saying he only has time for one-night stands, explores his interest in fashion, and...

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Kenya seen cutting rates on Thursday to boost growth

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s central bank is expected to cut its benchmark lending rate by one percentage point to 10 percent this week to stimulate the economy, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.The central bank‘s rate-setting committee, which embarked on a monetary easing cycle last July, is scheduled to meet on January 10. Inflation is on-target inflation and the currency trading at a rate that suggests...

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Medistem Inc. Appoints Biotechnology Veteran John Chiplin, Ph.D. to Board of Directors

SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwire – Jan 8, 2013) – Medistem Inc. ( PINKSHEETS : MEDS ), announced today that John Chiplin, Ph.D., has been elected to its Board of Directors. Dr. Chiplin has over 25 years of experience as a biopharmaceutical executive and is currently CEO of Polynoma, a Phase III cancer vaccine company. Dr. Chiplin is also on the Board of Directors of Benitec, an RNA interference company with...

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Stock index futures signal lower Wall Street open

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower Wall Street open on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 down 0.1 to 0.3 percent. Alcoa and Monsanto are two of the first large companies to report quarterly results as the earnings season begins. Wall Street expects both the companies to show improved profit from a year ago....

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Here come the big boys

Here come the big boys.The NFL's wild-card weekend is over, with nary an upset. Moving on are division winners Green Bay, Houston and Baltimore, along with NFC West runner-up Seattle and the only rookie quarterback still standing: Russell Wilson.Ahead are some daunting challenges as the Ravens visit Denver, the Texans go to New England, the Packers head to San Francisco and the Seahawks journey to...

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Depardieu exit causes French storm

STORY HIGHLIGHTSRussian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed Russian citizenship on actor Gérard DepardieuFor Depardieu, a public war of words erupted, with many in France disgusted by his moveDepardieu more than anyone, represents the Gallic spirit, says Agnes PoirierMajority of French people disapprove of his action but can't help loving him, she addsAgnes Poirier is a French journalist and political...

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