Rod Jenkins

Banks might be compelled to buy $60 billion in mortgages

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:47:35 GMT

Mortgages that were packed up into investments did not always perform well. For investors, there turned into a bad deal. A few lines in contracts mean something important, though. The poor home loans might really be the responsibility of the banks. A term written into many of the investments could imply banks have to spend $60 billion to re-buy mortgages gone terribly. Countless numbers have lost their homes while others struggled through payday loan after pay day loan just to remain on top of their mortgages.

Home loan securities having problems with a clause

Billions were made by banking institutions that packaged, sold and re-packaged home loan investments. Many of these home loan investments were more than just poor credit loans, however. A term was put in the investments that said the financial institution would re-purchase loans if the loans did not go well. The home loan bubble seemed to be doing really well. That means it didn’t matter much. Banking institutions are not happy about the buybacks being forced with all the properties in foreclosure.

Sixty billion dollars legal responsibility to keep control over

The home loan backed investments buyback was triggered by values dropping. Credit ratings dropping didn’t help either. Agencies about credit rating have estimated that about $60 billion in buyback legal responsibility is owned. The six largest banking institutions face this. The legal responsibility isn’t all on the banks though. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae own another half of it. Bank of America paid Fannie and Freddie in January to purchase back several home loans. About $2.5 billion was paid for this. States like NV have high foreclosures although the mortgages are spread throughout the country.

Having a ton of buybacks happening

Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have to do lots of buybacks. They have the “highest exposure” to it. Banks not buying mortgages back are getting sued by private investors, mortgage finance corporations and insurers. Some of the loans may be repurchased by the banks. They surely won’t all be bought back though. Investors could have bad loans their contracts say should not be there while banking institutions might have years of poor loans and lawsuits to package with.

Information from

New York Times

dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/banks-could-face-60-billion-tab-on-bad-loans/

Research reveals link among weed use and mental illness

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:27:39 GMT

Marijuana use and psychological illness has been connected in a new study. A review in excess of 80 studies found that pot use was linked to mental condition for instance schizophrenia or other psychosis creating faster in patients prone to mental illnesses. It’s “Reefer Madness” all over again.

Psychological illness for Cannabis users

There is new research being done currently putting a connection among marijuana and psychological illnesses coming faster. WebMD explains that those predisposed to creating mental condition will experience this. The study could be published in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, a psychiatric science journal. The study was compiled by a team of researchers led by Dr. Matthew Large from the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia. There were over 8,000 individuals that got reviewed in the 83 studies done. It was discovered that psychological illnesses, especially schizophrenia, are more likely to come earlier with pot use.

Marijuana and other narcotic use

In the study, there’s a connection clearly shown with cannabis use. It shows that psychological illnesses like schizophrenia show symptoms quicker when marijuana is being utilizes assuming the person is already at risk for the disease. Those who used marijuana had symptoms 2.7 years earlier than those who didn’t. This was with schizophrenia. People who used multiple substances, including cannabis, cocaine and other drugs, developed symptoms of psychological condition two years earlier than those who did not use narcotics. The Time reports that alcohol would not accelerate symptoms as long as it was the only thing used. Tobacco use is noted in the study as not having enough evidence to discover any affect on psychological illness.

Study warns those at risk of psychological illness should not use narcotics

It has been suggested several times that people at risk for psychological condition should not use psychoactive substances. There has been more than one research suggesting a link among schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis and cannabis use. There’s a quicker onset of symptoms for mental illnesses due to cannabis. There hasn’t been any evidence to suggest schizophrenia is brought on by weed though.

Citations

Web MD

webmd.com/schizophrenia/news/20110207/earlier-onset-of-schizophrenia-linked-to-pot

Health Land

healthland.time.com/2011/02/07/marijuana-linked-with-earlier-onset-of-schizophrenia-in-research-review/

Archives of General Psychiatry

archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/archgenpsychiatry.2011.5v1

Florida judge rules whole health care law unconstitutional

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 07:47:40 GMT

The health care law has been ruled unconstitutional by a Florida judge. Vinson, a U.S. district court judge, is the second judge so far to rule against the medical care law. He agreed with the position outlined in a lawsuit filed by 26 state attorneys general. The specific mandate of the medical care law is the point of contention, which will require most Americans to acquire medical care coverage. This could require many American’s to take out pay day loans just to cover this further costs in their life.

The specific mandate isn’t okay in accordance with the Commerce Clause

The health care law is unconstitutional in accordance with United States District Court Judge Vinson who was appointed by Reagan as a Republican judge. He suggested the Affordable Care Act be thrown out in its entirety. The individual mandate is something Vinson believes needs to be taken out of there. He thinks that under the Commerce Clause in the United States Constitution, Congress overstepped boundaries. The Commerce Clause was cited by a judge in Virginia last month that made a similar ruling. However, Vinson takes it a step further by insisting that the whole medical care law be voided. He made comments on why this is supposed to occur. The specific mandate and the rest of the law are “inextricably bound together in purpose and must stand or fall as a single unit.”

The way the Republicans plan to repeal

Uninsured medical care expenses are pretty pricey. About $43 billion a year is paid for it. Because the government is stuck with the bill, the Obama administration contends the specific mandate is legitimate regulation. Many opponents of the law focus on the specific mandate which will make the health care reform possible. The Commerce Clause suit had several who helped initiate it. This included 1 democrat and 12 republicans making up 13 attorneys general. There have been 13 more Republican attorneys general that have joined up since then.

How the constitution changes the medical care reform debate

If you were to ask the Center for American Progress, it would say the medical care law is constitutional. This is a liberal think tank for Washington. Over 125 legal scholars signed a statement released on Jan 18 that states the law is constitutional as the specific mandate is a tax provision. Then there is the opponent opinion. It’s considered a fine by opponents. But in accordance with the CAP, because the specific mandate needs Americans to either purchase health insurance or pay a penalty, it’s a tax. For 200 years, the Supreme Court has allowed Congress to tax in order to help general welfare.

Citations

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-31/obama-health-care-reform-act-unconstitutional-judge-says-in-26-state-suit.html

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2011/01/18/2022545_p2/more-states-join-florida-lawsuit.html

ABC News

blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/01/unconstitutional-federal-judge-rules-against-health-reform-invalidates-law-over-individual-mandate.html

Chrysler gives bonuses on power of revised Q4 profit

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:07:41 GMT

Chrysler is preparing to issue by the hour and salaried employees bonuses, reports the Detroit Free Press. In a business e-mail, CEO Sergio Marchionne proclaimed the good work staffs on the industrial side have done to make it feasible for 16 new or revamped automobiles to hit the sector in 2010 made the bonuses necessary. Bonuses could be delivered on Feb. 11, according to Chrysler spokesman Mike Palese.

Reward for by the hour and salary Chrysler staff

Each of Chrysler’s 22,000 U.S. and 7,600 Canadian by the hour employees with receive $750 in recognition for their achievements, said Palese. You will find 10,000 within the United States and 750 Canadian salaried staff that will get a number not revealed by Palese.

Many are confused as to why Chrysler is paying all the bonuses. The business reported altered operating profit of $198 million for the fourth quarter of 2010 although the whole year reported a $652 million loss. In the Chrysler altered operating revenue, interest on loans wasn’t included. This included interest the government got on the TARP loans.

Profitability suggested

The amount that Chrysler has accomplished is something Sergio Marchionne is proud of.

“It is a performance payment in recognition of what I consider to be extraordinary performance. … The way this house has responded to the introduction of 16 cars has been extraordinary,” Marchionne explained. This was to analysts in a conference call.

All the taxpayers who footed the bill for the auto bailout are upset that Chrysler is sending out perks before doing more work even though Marchionne is bound to score points with the staff by rewarded employees for hard work rather than working on “bottom line profitability”.

Profits forecasted in 2011

Revenue between $200 million and $500 million are what Chrysler expects to make in 2011. This could be after the expected $55 billion in revenue. Hopefully, the business can actually do this to improve from the $652 million net loss this year. The automaker said the TARP loan interest is what brought on the loss. There were higher car launch costs and increased advertising that did not help much. The lower volume was also an issue.

The practice of portraying fourth quarter profits in “modified” form was a way of decorating a financial pie that might have only been half-baked, experts believe. A recorded “profit” for instance this meant that the company could report good news. It was the first quarter since bankruptcy that profit was recorded.

Articles cited

Auto News

autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110131/OEM/110139998/1250

Detroit Free Press

freep.com/article/20110131/BUSINESS0103/110131007/1049/SPORTS01/Chrysler-narrows-4Q-net-loss-posts-operating-profit?odyssey=nav%7Chead

TARP committee warnings to Chrysler about bonuses

youtube.com/watch?v=DM-Zm7YNTvg

Fredette puts lights-out scoring burn on San Diego State University

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:47:40 GMT

Raining jump shots that ignite Brigham Young University’s offense is apparently Jimmer Fredette’s raison d’être, according to the Twitter-sphere. On Jan. 26, Fredette and the ninth-ranked Brigham Young University Cougars stunned the fourth-ranked San Diego State University Aztecs 71-58 with so many long-range jumpers, Twitter had a meltdown. Twitter was overwhelmed by Jimmer Fredette love. The servers took a powder. Source for this article – Jimmer Fredette scores points – and tweets – in bunches by Newsytype.com.

News coverage of Fredette

Jimmer Fredette is concerned about not getting almost as much exposure as Duke or North Caroline players get even though the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, has Brigham Young University in there filling it often. With 27.7 points per game, Fredette has the title of leading scorer within the nation. The local media have coined the phrase, “You’ve been Jimmered” to signify the opposition has been torched.

There is more talk about him though. Oklahoma Thunder National Basketball Association star Kevin Durant punctuated the torrent of Jimmer Fredette-themed tweets with the solitary proclamation that “Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!!” Washington Wizards rookie sensation John Wall tweeted that “Jimmer Fredette is cold! #respect.” Fredette is the focus of his team’s offense and opposition defenses, and he continues to put up NBA-draft-quality numbers.

The bane of the ‘Great White Hope’

Skeptical basketball fans wonder if Fredette, a 6-foot-2 white guard, is doing it all with smoke and mirrors. He does not dominate the opposition with athleticism however with what several scouts consider to be perfect form on the jump shot and above-average ball-handling skills that enable him to drive the ball into the teeth of the defense. The National Basketball Association draft is coming up. Is he good enough to get picked?

While the issue of race shouldn’t be a factor in assessing a basketball player’s ability, the fact is that talented white basketball players not named Larry Bird, will bear the “Great White Hope” tag unfairly at some point. Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison is a recent example. For each “Great White Hope” that succeeds within the NBA, you will find many others who fail. Jimmer Fredette will succeed within the NBA if he ignores the hype, bulks up physically and develops greater quickness. He does have an amazing jump shot.

Information from

ESPN

espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/6065178/jimmer-fredette-carry-byu-ncaas

NBA Soup

nbasoup.com/?p=361

New York Daily News

nydailynews.com/sports/college/2011/01/27/2011-01-27_byu_star_jimmer_fredette_draws_praise_from_kevin_durant_john_wall_more_after_43p.html

Rivals.com

rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/73082

FOX Sports shoots straight on Jimmer Fredette

youtube.com/watch?v=8XE3fFd6g4A

Sleep disorders can result in being overweight

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:07:39 GMT

In 2 separate analyses published this week, sleep disorders has been connected to negative health outcomes. Children who do not have regular sleep have a higher risk of weight problems. Rest may also help memories build and be stronger.

The ways sleep and obesity connect together

Researchers studied the rest habits of 300 kids, ages 4 to 10 years old. The researchers found that, on average, kids who got irregular rest were more likely to be obese. The amount of sleep the kids got didn’t correlate. It was just the change in resting patterns from day to day. The results were explained by Dr. David Gozal who led the study saying, “We think that the direction of the arrow is you sleep less, you eat more, you exercise less because you’re tired, and therefore you gain more weight.”

The link between rest and memory

In the journal Nature Neuroscience today, a second sleep study was published. It was discovered by German scientists that about 25 percent more information was retained by subjects who took a nap right after studying than the others. One theory is that memories are “downloaded” during sleep to be put in the long-term part of the brain after being put within the short-term part at first. In short, rest helps cement memories.

Enough sleep a problem

It can be really hard to get enough sleep for those of almost any age. For school-aged kids and adolescents, nine hours or more per night is usually recommended. Adults are really only intended to get between 8 and 10 hours. This is considered “enough” by most. It isn’t that hard to determine what sufficient is for your body. You just have to rest until you wake up. The good news is, however, that “catching up” on rest appears to be helpful. Catching up on sleep over the weekend can help reduce risk of being overweight between 280 percent and 400 percent.

Articles cited

AFP

google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ir9Aq3KpWK1wbwDG1A9sqQLxq0nQ?docId=CNG.3d70bb040bdfdd29691ee978be81fc1a.2e1

Fox News

foxnews.com/health/2011/01/24/study-sleep-extra-pounds-kids/

Google Offers strikes large whack in online coupon field

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:10:22 GMT

Google wanted Groupon, but Groupon did not think $6 billion was rich enough for their blood. Now Google is taking the booming internet coupon enterprise into its own hands, reports Mashable. Google Offers should give Groupon a run for its considerable cash. Hopefully Groupon does not get stuck taking out pay day loans just to stay in enterprise.

Google Offers a customer win

Up to 50 percent off of internet purchasing is something offered by groups like Groupon and Living Social. The customers who love this are sure to like another place doing the very same thing as Google Offers plans on doing. The business already has a huge reach of access. That means it should not be difficult to get enterprise promotion locally. Over $1 million a day is made by Living Social supposedly. At the very same time, Groupon is on its way to a possible $15 billion Initial Public Offering valuation while, in history, might be the largest ever. Google is sure to make a ton of cash with an internet coupon company.

Groupon imitated

Seeing as the Groupon layout has been very successful with consumers, it makes sense that Google Offers would have the exact same kind of Groupon layout, reports Mashable. However, powerful Google tools like Checkout, Analytics, ad networks and more should be more than enough to help Google Offers stand on its own. Google is a brand name too. That should help quite a bit. There is a lot of power in the “Google” name. Several notice it being very strong.

Pre-paid program from Google Offers

MSNBC accounts that a pre-paid system can be set up by Google Offers. That means that smaller businesses can get local promotion without paying too much. It’s really helpful for businesses not to have to pay unless customers actually use the internet coupon. This will help smaller businesses a lot. Mashable’s Ben Parr explains the Google Offers system this way:

“Google will pay out 80 percent of a business’ revenue share three days after its deal runs. Google will hold the remaining 20 percent for 60 days to cover refunds before sending the rest.”

Articles cited

Mashable

mashable.com/2011/01/21/google-offers-groupon/

MSNBC

technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/21/5891547-more-deal-duels-as-google-offers-takes-on-groupon

Financial News Network coverage of Google Offers

youtube.com/watch?v=gg4S5Qqo8No

Tucson shooting victims deserved death, says Pastor Fred Phelps

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 06:47:30 GMT

The Stir reports that Westboro Baptist Church Pastor Fred Phelps has sounded off over the shootings in Tucson, AZ. Unfortunately, those feelings are that shooter Loughner is a “soldier hero” of God, while those who fell – including a 9-year-old girl – deserved God’s righteous fury that day in a Tucson Safeway supermarket. Where does Phelps get his money to travel and boycott all these funerals, someone has to be giving him a personal loan of some sort.

Fred Phelps finding out what the line between free speech and hate speech is

Loughner was said to have been doing the work of a higher power when gunning down Re. Gabrielle Giffords and others some say although human compassion is obviously not there to see it being done. There have been many who can’t figure out how to draw the line between free speech, which the U.S. Constitution permits, and hate speech. The Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps have been accused of hate speech often.

Currently on the docket for the Supreme Court of the United States is a case in which Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are being accused of using hate speech during their protests at the funeral of an Iraq war veteran. Appeals court turned over the original ruling that gave the dead soldier’s father millions of dollars in damages in a Baltimore federal court.

'Thank God for the violent shooter,’ according to Phelps

The interpretation of the Bible for Fred Phelps led him to believe that Jared Lee Loughner was in the right at the Tucson, Arizona, Safeway being led by a higher power. A loaded and concealed Glock-19 was brought with him. Gabrielle Giffords, the five others that were killed and the 12 wounded were supposed to be with the will of God, according to Phelps. Phelps says the victims faced harsh justice for what he believes to be support for the homosexual community and divorce (points of fixation for the Westboro Baptist Church). He then went on to say more should probably have died. Even the 9-year old girl was wronging society.

As The Stir puts it, “neither common sense nor respect” are characteristics of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.

Articles cited

Café Mom

thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/114798/arizona_shooting_victims_vs_fred

Phelps weighs in on tragedy in Tucson (WARNING: Contains speech/images some may find offensive)

YouTube

youtube.com/watch?v=Qpkxoql4xz0

Deluge in Australia continues as Brisbane floods worsen

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:47:33 GMT

The storm season is worsening around Australia, and the Brisbane floods are getting even worse. Floodwater has coated the Australian state of Queensland, as the rainy season has unleashed a torrent on the northeast corner of the nation. It is the worst flooding in living memory. There are going to be mass sum of installment loans taken out to try and repair these damages.

More Brisbane flooding being seen now

The recent floods in Australia are set to worsen, as more incoming water is due to the city of Brisbane, according to The Telegraph. Brisbane is the largest city in the state of Queensland, which is in the northeast region of the continent of Australia. The state of Queensland has been experiencing terrible flooding for over a month, as heavy rains continued throughout December after a very wet spring. Brisbane, a city of over two million and the third largest city in Australia, has been paralyzed by recent flash flooding, which will continue throughout the week as the Brisbane river is still swelling with rainwater. Over 9,000 homes may end up awash with water, and power will be shut off in the city for safety. It is the worst flooding on record in over a century.

Hurricanes and La Nina make for bad news in Australia with weather

The Australian spring, which begins in September, saw heavy rains come with the La Nina weather system. In the beginning of December, flooding had already begun. Hurricane Tasha at Christmas just made it even worse. The tropical storm lashed Queensland with rain, swelling rivers and causing flash floods throughout the state in northeastern Australia. A state of emergency has been declared in one third of Queensland. The affected area is roughly the size of Texas.

Cost of Brisbane getting fixed

There is floodwater seen all over the Lockyer Valley region. This is where the location of Brisbane is. Swollen above its bank in the Brisbane river. There’s a good chance the high tides and rain will keep the flooding going for a while. Flooding is set to continue in the third largest city in Australia, and recovery efforts could cost as much as $10 billion.

Information from

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8252699/Brisbane-braces-itself-for-worst-floods-in-more-than-a-century.html

Timeline of Australia flooding on the Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8251906/Australian-floods-timeline.html

New fluoridation standards recommend lower levels

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:07:38 GMT

A recent assessment of fluoride levels in drinking water indicates that they should be reduced. Americans have gotten access to fluoride from more sources in recent times. However, the amount necessary in drinking water to prevent tooth decay today is less. An excessive amount of fluoride has become a concern, as more children have shown signs of fluoride over-exposure. This has left numerous parents looking for short term loans in order to pay the dentist bills for their children.

Levels of fluoride in water for drinking should change

Communities should back off on the amount of fluoride added to drinking water, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter of fluoride in water has been recommended since 1962. Now, toothpaste, mouthwash, supplements and dental treatments all have more fluoride in them than before. This means that the maximum in drinking water should only be 0.7 milligrams per liter now. It can be bad to get too much fluoride. In fact, white spots or streaking on tooth enamel, or fluorosis, can occur when this happens. A new DHHS study found that two out of five teenagers in the U.S. have developed a mild form of fluorosis. The American Dental Association said the lower recommended fluoride level will both reduce tooth decay and prevent fluorosis.

Why a recommendation of fluoride is even there

In the 1940s, it became important to put fluoride in drinking water. In the last 65 years, dental health standards in the U.S. have increased dramatically. Most Americans have fluoridated public water. About 64 percent has this luxury. Fluoridated water supplies aren’t given to about 100 million Americans, the Centers for Disease Control explains. The CDC ranks fluoridated drinking water as a benefit to public health on par with vaccination, birth control and the recognition that smoking is hazardous to one’s health. Dental health is better for people who have had fluoridated water although tooth decay in children was the original purpose of the water.

Conspiracy on fluoride

There is a ton of scientific support for drinking water with fluoride in it. Still, many say it is a government plot that leads to conspiracy. It seemed that in the 50s and 60s, fluoride in drinking water wasn’t okay for many. It has to be a communist plot being played out. There were other conspiracy theories about the fluoride as well. These included the Illuminati trying to get world domination as well as a mass medication ploy that the government was enforcing. There was control from the Nazis of the German people. Many suggested it was because of fluoridation. The U.S. obesity problem was blamed on fluoride too. This is because the thyroid is interfered with when using fluoride.

Citations

CNN

cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/07/fluoride.recommendations/?hpt=T2

Los Angeles Times

latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-fluoridated-water-0107-2011,0,1282084.story

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-01-07/fluoride-in-drinking-water-should-be-lower-hhs-says.html

mgoldmandds

mgoldmandds.com/fluoride%20conspiracy.htm

Conspiracy theories and hoaxes

conspiracy-theories-hoax.com/water-fluoridation-conspiracy-theories.html

China declares newfound ability to reprocess spent nuclear fuel

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:47:34 GMT

China announced a nuclear power breakthrough Monday that could solve its uranium supply problem. Chinese nuclear scientists have figured out how to reprocess used uranium, a technique which anyone who has already mastered keep to themselves. China’s limited supply of nuclear gas, previously expected to last 70 years, might now be extended to 3,000 years.

Nuclear energy breakthrough occurring in China

China’s nuclear power generating capacity could increase tenfold in 10 years if its government’s claims about reprocessing spent uranium are true. There is the possibility of reprocessing used nuclear gas which will recover unused uranium and plutonium. Nuclear waste can be drastically reduced. There are only a few nations that reprocess nuclear gas although it tends to be a big secret. These consist of the United States, China, Japan and some European countries. How China’s nuclear reprocessing technique is different from existing methods isn’t known. Apparently a kilo of uranium may produce 60 times more energy than China can produce right now, as outlined by China Central TV.

China trying to guide nuclear energy

Nuclear energy is something China is trying to use to address many problems. This includes the seriously large amounts of pollution and the power demands. It passed the U.S. as the largest power consumer in the world in 2009. Coal energy plants currently supply 70 percent of the country’s power. The Beijing government plans to supply 5 percent of China’s power needs with nuclear energy by 2020. The U.S. may get passed by China as the energy production head in atomic power production by 2030. Currently China has 13 nuclear reactors. About 104 reactors are being used in the United States right now.

Discovering ways in China to meet demand for energy

If the economy is going to keep growing, a huge supply of energy can be needed by China that already passed Japan this year as the second largest economy in the globe. The country is about to embark on probably the most driven program of nuclear reactor construction in history. Twenty-six nuclear reactors are currently under construction and hundreds more are prepared. After years of re-engineering nuclear engineering from foreign suppliers, China has started designing its own reactors with aspires to sell its own nuclear technology overseas.

Information from

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/03/china-claims-new-nuclear-technology

Energy Digital

energydigital.com/tags/nuclear-fuel/china-makes-nuclear-fuel-breakthrough

AFP

google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iA_mBduPQHSCRjVR9Xuwbro6Gh0Q?docId=CNG.0fdda25599cfdc1fbf798ce7851d9c51.3b1

Sugarloaf ski lift falls apart - ski patrol evacuates

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:47:33 GMT

The Sugarloaf ski area is evacuating a ski lift. Carrabasset Valley, Maine emergency crews are dealing with the collapsed lift. 5 ski lift seats fell 30 to 40 feet. Over one hundred skiers are trapped by the collapsed lift. Emergency response crews are calculating it could be one to two hrs to get everyone from the lift. I suppose the resort is going to take out a huge payday loan to fix their lift.

The failure of the ski lift in Sugarloaf

At approximately 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, a very strong gust of wind hit the Sugarloaf ski area. The cables of the Spillway East Slope lift derailed. The seats were thrown 30 to forty feet down into the snow. Many skiers were hurt during this. About one hundred other skiers were trapped on the lift. At the Sugarloaf ski area, the wind got much worse this morning. It was up to 20 and 30 miles per hour. The temperature ended up being between 8 and 10 degrees. That means skiers ended up stranded and worried about the cold.

Severe injuries not an issue at Sugarloaf

There were a few skiers at Sugarloaf that ended up getting hurt. None of it was serious though. Emergency Management for Franklin County, Maine reported that they were at “condition yellow” at Sugarloaf, meaning that nobody was critically injured or perished. The ski patrol got some help from emergency management teams. This helped get the Sugarloaf Spillway lift clear of skiers. The skiers would not be evacuated off of the lift for at least 90 minutes and up to two hours.

Evacuation from the Sugarloaf ski lift

There was a plan used for the evacuation of Sugarloaf ski lift. Ropes and harnesses were used. The broken down ski lift is having ropes thrown over it. This allows skiers to slide down to safety. They are describing the procedure as “much like rock climbing” and are belaying skiers off the lift, skis and all. The broken lift will take days or weeks to repair while the Spillway East can be shut down within the Sugarloaf ski resort for a while. This is just the latest fallout from the East Coast blizzard that has snarled traffic, shut down cities and brought on power outages across the coast.

Articles cited

WMTV

wmtw.com/r/26299543/detail.html

CNN

news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/28/skiers-fall-from-chairlift-at-maine-resort/?npt=NP1

A final monetary checklist for 2010

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:47:32 GMT

As the year winds down it’s a good idea to revisit your personal finances. A new year is a good occasion for tying up loose ends on your monetary checklist. Get off to a good start in next year by taking care of tax issues and reevaluating your monetary priorities.

What to put on your year-end financial check-list

Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, take better monetary steps. Help to make sure 2010 isn’t the exact same year next year will be. If you would like tax issues for this year to be settled, make sure you do it within the next few days. If you need a 2010 tax deduction, try Charitable donations. Until December 31, it is nevertheless available. If you need more 2010 tax deductions, there are other options. Get rid of stock that is not doing well. Write off your losses up to $3,000. This will help a lot. Consider converting an IRA to a Roth-IRA. Before December 31, make sure you do the Roth IRA conversion. The tax on it could be spread out until 2012 for you. This is also your last chance to get your free and accurate this year credit rating.

Financial promises should be made

Find new ways to be thrifty. Start with charge card debt. It isn’t as much of a priority to conserve as it is to pay charge card debt. This is widely known. Why? It is as the return you get on savings doesn’t come close to the high interest rates you are paying on credit card debt. Pay down the expensive charge card debt first, then start saving. You’ll be able to save more. To help pay down credit card debt faster, determine how much a habit costs and give it up. Ride a bike to work for a while and help to make your own coffee. You are able to increase your monthly charge card payments by spending cash on that rather than on lattes and gas.

Get monetary goals out of the way

Writing down financial targets for the coming year could be really beneficial. However, most people who do that soon forget them. In addition to writing down your financial targets, tell a member of your family or a friend you trust what your priorities could be. Ask them to hold you accountable to your promises and offer to do the exact same for them. You can be more successful together than you could alone.

Articles cited

Sacramento Bee

sacbee.com/2010/12/26/3278902/year-end-moves.html

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204336704576042272907474338.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Britain deems Abbey Road crosswalk historically significant

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:27:37 GMT

Many individuals have an image that instantly springs to mind when the name Abbey Road is brought up. The location for that image is now an official landmark. The last album by The Beatles, “Abbey Road,” shows the Fab Four crossing the street on the actual Abbey Road on the cover, and it’s been an iconic image ever since. The landmark being preserved is not too surprising, in some ways. It is the first crosswalk ever designated to be historically important in Britain.

Landmark status granted to Abbey Road crosswalk

CNN reports the crosswalk on the cover of “Abbey Road” by the Beatles to be a landmark as outlined by the British government. It may be an excellent idea to make this crosswalk the first crosswalk that is a historic landmark, while it is referred to as “zebra crossings” within the United Kingdom. The image of all four Beatles crossing the street is legendary, and equally significant is the album the picture adorned. The “Abbey Road” album was the last one the Beatles made. “Let it Be” was released after that though.

Formerly a dull street crossing

The crosswalk was on the actual Abbey Road in London borough of Westminster before it became famous as an image. About 90 % of the Beatles recordings happened in Abbey Road Studios which the zebra crossing is right outside of. The last recording for the group was done there. That is what the title explains. The studio, according to the BBC, was named a landmark also. Pink Floyd recorded “Dark Side of the Moon” in that studio while all of the “Star Wars” film scores were recorded there also. EMI still owns the studio.

An excellent year

This was the year where the Beatles finally were on iTunes, and there have been numerous tributes to John Lennon, as this year marked the 30th anniversary of his death. For Sir Paul McCartney and the Beatles, the crossing being named a historic site was just the “icing on the cake” really.

Details from

CNN

edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/22/england.abbey.road/?hpt=T2

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12059385

Abbey Road Studios

abbeyroad.com/

New Fed proposal takes aim at extreme debit card swipe fees

Sat, 25 Dec 2010 07:47:31 GMT

The Fed plans to enforce a 12-cent cap on debit card swipe fees as part of a suggestion released Dec. 16. The swipe fee limit is a component of a set of brand new debit card rules. The Fed suggestion is an effort to adhere to requirements specified in financial reform legislation passed last summer. Not surprisingly, merchants support the measure and major credit card corporations opposed it as they viewed their stock take a hit on the media.

Swipe limit proposal coming from the Fed

No matter what the value is, most credit card companies charge 1 to 2 % of each transaction with the current system of debit card swipe fees. More competition would be added to compete with Visa and Mastercard with the Fed swipe fee proposal as merchants would be able to choose from at least two independent debit card networks. The reason why the Fed came up with the swipe limit proposal was because of the financial reform bill. It required that banks have to make debit card swipe fees “reasonable and proportional” to what the bank pays to process the electronic fees. The Fed suggests that banks are likely to have to be more cost efficient. This is what the debit card swipe fee limits would force.

Banks to lose billions in easy money

Swipe fees earned credit card companies about $15 billion in 2009. The proposal by the Fed for a swipe fee limit would be great for retailers. They’d make much more money. Bloomberg spoke to a JP Morgan Chase analyst who said that up to 80 to 90 % of revenue might be lost by banks that issue Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Average debit card swipe fees would go down about 75 percent with the 12 cent swipe fee cap, says UBS Investment Research. Consumers won’t be affected by the debit card swipe fee limits though likely, said the Fed. Customers don’t have to be on debit card reward programs like banks think. There are different solutions to get consumers interested with your product.

Reactions to Fed swipe fee limits

As outlined by the National Retail Federation, it might be good for consumers. This would be because discounts are easier to give when merchant’s costs are down. As a result of the benefits they get from the card payment network, the American Bankers Association said the Fed would be letting retailers stay away from paying their fare share. Shortly after the Fed presented the swipe fee proposal Thursday, Visa stock fell 11 percent and Mastercard stock fell 9 %.

Info from

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121604553.html

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/federal-reserve-moves-to-reduce-debit-card-fees-visa-mastercard-decline.html

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101216-713515.html

Legal team balks as Assange police statement leaked out to United Kingdom press

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:07:37 GMT

Thanks to an ever-inquisitive press, WikiLeaks creator Assange’s sexual assault case might have taken a dark turn. The Australian reports that Assange’s police report has released to the British newspaper The Guardian. The allegedly confidential report is said to contain visual sexual information of Assange’s current assault case.

Police statement which involves Assange in it

Julian Assange’s camp is working to make sure free data and transparency are available when releasing confidential intelligence cables. The legal team does not think that a turnabout has happened with the recent police report that was allegedly leaked.

Because of the law enforcement officials report leak, Bjorn Hurtig will be filing a formal complaint as Julian Assange’s Swedish lawyer.

“It is with great concern that I hear about this because it puts Julian and his defense in a bad position,” Hurtig said.

Media making litigation happen

Jemina Khan, Michael Moore and Bianca Jagger were all those who helped pay the £275,000 ($432,305) bail by celeb backers for Julian Assange. Nevertheless, sexual assault charges still face Assange in Sweden. The Assange police report being leaked has been characterized as a “smear campaign” intended to bring the 39-year-old journalist/provocateur before the judging eye of the media and circumvent due process.

The sex allegations towards Julian Assange in the Guardian were just a “brief summary” allegedly. His lawful team states that getting Assange convicted in the court of public opinion was the real purpose of it.

It is a conspiracy theory that Sweden and Americans are involved in

Julian Assange maintains that since the facts surrounding his sexual assault claims came to light, Sweden and the United States have been working together in a conspiracy theory to punish him for the release of various sensitive U.S. intelligence cables. Mark Stephens is Julian Assange’s lawyer. He claims that Assange will not be extradited and tried under United States treason laws if he has anything to do with it. It could be unlikely that this will change considering Assange is Australian rather than a United States citizen. No Australian laws were broken by Assange though, according to Australian PM Julia Gillard. The U.S. might go to extreme measures to get him in their custody though.

Citations

The Australian

theaustralian.com.au/news/world/lawyers-cry-foul-over-leak-of-julian-assange-sex-case-papers/story-e6frg6so-1225973548657

Julia Gillard says Assange broke no Australian laws

youtube.com/watch?v=IqaRK_STjdw

Mortgages and financial institution loans going underwater at reduced level

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:47:26 GMT

One of the effects of the housing crash was a number of people getting underwater on property loans. However, fewer people are ending up that way with financial institution loans now. Underwater doesn’t mean actual flood damage. An underwater home loan is where a homeowner owes more to the financial institution than the home is worth. However, it’s largely due to lots of underwater homes being foreclosed.

Financial institution loans going underwater less often

USA Today reports that you will find less individuals that are underwater under their property which means they owe more in bank loans than the home is worth. Underwater home loans have become a issue for lots of American homeowners, who went out to get a loan for a property, only for the value to plummet. Recreational and retirement hot spots like Nevada, Arizona and Florida were hit hard, with greater numbers of foreclosures and real estate values dropping through the floor. There hasn’t been that many foreclosures in urban areas like Chicago especially in centers that are heavy in industrial work.

Part because of foreclosures

There wasn’t too much of a decline in underwater home loans. It was only 0.5 percent in fact. Most are paying less in installment loans than the home is worth which is largely because of foreclosures. All the foreclosures have taken mortgages off the books for many banks and financial institutions. There have been some incentives offered from the government, but talking lenders into reducing debt when many a loan business is struggling is a tough sell.

Reduced property values

It is likely that the housing sector isn’t going to be at its best for a while. There have been a ton of foreclosures recently. Between that and individuals either not confident enough to buy a property or unable to get one because of credit, it is likely that the housing industry won’t get back up anytime soon. There will most likely be a slow recovery if it happens at all. The slow growth will help a lot though.

Details from

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2010-12-13-underwater-mortgages_N.htm

Missile defense system test does not work properly off California coastline

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:07:49 GMT

An up to date experiment of the nation’s missile defense system has been unsuccessful. Missile defense systems, or shooting down missiles with other missiles, have been tested and designed for decades. However, each and every program has something in common. There is not a single one that has proven even reliable, never mind effective.

Making an additional missile defense system just for it to fail again

Off of California, a test of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, or GMD, long range missile defense system happened. The Missile Defense Agency conducted this test. The test did not go as anticipated, as the anti-missile missile failed to hit the target, but the Pentagon takes heart that at least the target, or incoming long range missile, and the intercepting missile, or “kill car,” both launched, as outlined by CNN. The test pitted a long range incoming dummy missile launched from the Kwajalein Atoll within the Marshall Islands against an interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The kill automobile didn’t hit its target although both launched.

Success almost never happened

To date, Boeing’s modern missile defense system, deployed in California and Alaska, has successfully shot down eight of 15 targets in testing, which is a 53.3 % success rate. One reason assumed for the failure of some tests is the X-Band, or the radar array used to steer interceptor missiles into targets, isn’t working. This is just a theory for now though. The X-Band array is housed on a customized floating oil rig, and is supposed to generate vital info about incoming targets. A previous in test in January this year also failed to hit its target. Although many say it only happened accidently, an intercepting kill vehicle did hit its target in December 2008 which made it the last successful GMD test.

A past full of failure

There hasn’t been much success in missile defenses. There have only been a few successes with all of the systems and technologies over the years that have been developed and tested. The Strategic Defense Initiative was began by President Reagan 30 years ago. Since then, over $100 billion has been spent on missile defense systems. No anti-missile system has managed a 100 % success rate in testing.

Articles cited

CNN

edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/15/missile.defense.fail/?hpt=T2

Golden Globe 2011 nominations surprise a few

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 02:27:30 GMT

The Golden Globe nominations for 2011 were officially announced Tues early morning. The usual suspects were on the list, which includes arthouse hit “Black Swan” and TV sensation “Glee”. A couple of surprises were within the nominations collection, however, which includes “The Tourist”. Quite a few individuals are preparing to sign up for a payday loan in order to go to the award program.

2011 Golden Globe nomination contenders

The Golden Globe awards nominations were declared Tuesday night. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association made this announcement. The 2011 Golden Globe nominations for movie include “The King’s Speech,” “The Children are All Right,” “The Tourist,” “Inception,” Black Swan” and “The Social Network.” It is surprising to the “The Tourist” on the collection thinking about it was a box office flop that was not expected. You are able to go to GoldenGlobes.org to see a collection of the 2011 Golden Globe nominations.

2011 TV Golden Globe nominations

The Golden Globe TV nominations for 2011 are heavily weighted towards non-network TV. One of the exceptions to this was “Glee.” Five Golden Globe nominations are for the show in 2011. HBO, Showtime, AMC and TBS are where much of the Golden Globe 2011 nominations go to. In other words, unless you’ve cable or watch your Television online, you are missing out on many 2011 Golden Globe selected TV shows.

The 2011 Miss Golden Globe

Miss Golden Globe was declared right before Golden Globe nominations for 2011. The Golden Globe nominations and awards ceremony for 2011 are typically what Miss Golden Globe helps with as a child of a well-known super star. It was announced exactly who Miss Golden Globe 2011 will be. Gia Mantegna is going to be filling the role. She was shown in “Medium” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”. The statement of the Golden Globe nominations for 2011 is just the beginning. The Golden Globe award ceremony is nevertheless to come. NBC could be where you can watch the Golden Globe awards on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011 presented by HFPA. Ricky Gervais, a comedian, is scheduled to host the awards program.

Citations

Golden Globe

goldenglobes.org/blog/2010/12/the-68th-annual-golden-globe-awards-nominations/

Fortune Brands will be splitting golfing and liquor companies

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:52:37 GMT

In an unexpected announcement today, Fortune Brands has said it will break up its four main businesses apart. Fortune Brands is the parent company of three very different businesses. Fortune Brands intends to keep the alcohol firm, while spinning off or selling Moen faucets, its home security business and Titlist golf.

Framework of Fortune Brands

The NY Stock Exchange has Fortune Brands as a unique firm. Jim Beam bourbon is the biggest seller of the alcohol firm owned by the business. Titlist golfing is also owned by Fortune Brands. Fortune Brand owns Moen faucets which is a high-quality fixture company. A home security firm is owned by Fortune Brands. There is not really an overlap in the 4 companies although conglomerate businesses are on the stock industry lots of the time. This lack of overlap makes managing Fortune Brands difficult, though all the elements of Fortune Brands are profitable.

Lots of strain in the direction of Fortune Brand

Fortune Brands has reportedly been thinking about splitting off its businesses for a number of years. Earlier this year, William Ackman, of Pershing Square Capital Management, purchased an 11 percent stake in Fortune Brands. Fortune Brands has been compelled by Ackman. He thinks splitting up the businesses is the best plan. ”While the breadth and balance of our portfolio have served shareholders very well, we see the potential for even greater value by separating our businesses into focused companies,” is what Chief Executive Bruce Carbonari said.

What Fortune Brand corporations will be carrying out

Fortune Brand hasn’t discussed many of the breakup details. This is because they aren’t all finalized yet. What is known for sure is that the home security unit of Fortune Brands can be spun off into its own company in a tax-free transaction for shareholders. The most beneficial thing for both Fortune Brands and shareholders will be done with the golfing firm that has intends to either be spun off or sold dependent upon what pay-day loans and no faxing financing the buyer has.

Citations

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSN0826394720101208

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/fortune-brands-to-split-into-three-units/19751427/

Chrome OS will strike the market in Cr-48 laptop

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:47:33 GMT

Based on Mashable, those of us who are chomping at the bit to get our hands on the Cr-48 Chrome Notebook – the first notebook computer to run Chrome OS – will have to wait until the middle of 2011. That won’t scratch the gifting itch this holiday season, but Google fan-boys are a dedicated bunch. Once the Cr-48 surfaces for customers, Microsoft and Apple can have to be ready.

Cr-48 Chrome Laptop in beta testing right now

In order to work out the kinks in the Cr-48 Chrome OS Laptop, Google has launched an exclusive pilot program. While Google states the program is currently open to certain individuals, companies, schools, non-profits and developers in the U.S., the truth is that beta testers will each receive a Cr-48 notebook, so the numbers will likely be somewhat low. All applicants have to be 18 years or older.

As part of the program, regular, detailed feedback will need to be sent to Google as part of the program from participants. There is not “any legacy PC software” on the Cr-48 Chrome Notebook for beta screening as “the pilot program is not for the faint of heart” either with the possibility of serious bugs within the system, Google explains.

What you need to learn about the Cr-48 Chrome Laptop

According to Mashable’s sources, few details of the Cr-48 Chrome Notebook are known. The following has been confirmed already though:

12-inch LCD display

Built-in Wi-Fi and 3G by Verizon

Full-sized keyboard without caps-lock or function-keys

Large touch-pad interface

Weighs 3.8 pounds (more than 3 pounds heavier than Macbook Air)

Solid state hard drive (quieter with no moving parts, faster than standard drive)

Eight hours active use with a full charge, a week of standby power

For all people which are on the internet

The Cr-48 Chrome Laptop isn’t something for Gamers. Google wasn’t making that the target. A Chrome OS notebook would be precisely what is needed by most consumers considering most people use computers specifically online with web browsers, social media and other cloud elements.

Information from

Mashable

mashable.com/2010/12/07/google-cr-48-chrome-notebook/

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome_OS

Google’s official Chrome notebook promo

youtube.com/watch?v=vFeD3qGVsrM

The ePrivacy app: See-who-views-your-profile Facebook con

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 10:27:35 GMT

We all love our Facebook accounts and the people we’re linked to. So, above everything else, the last thing we want is to spread just one more infectious viral con. Among the most recent Facebook scams to look out for is the ePrivacy app. Like many Facebook scams, if you’re very easily enticed, you are able to easily become a victim and perhaps even bring your Facebook family and friends down with you.

Facebook scam to stay away from is the ePrivacy app

The message, “OMG OMG OMG… I cant believe this actually works! Now you really can see who viewed your profile! on [link],” is shown with the newest scam on Facebook which is really the ePrivacy app.

Staying up to date on everyone in our lives is what we do as Facebook users. The ePrivacy app seems really enticing as it is a way to discover out who has been checking up on us as well. Supposedly it gives you the capability to view who’s looking at your Facebook profile. Allegedly everyone will come up. Don’t do it. It isn’t real. The app being downloaded is a bad idea. The creator will get all the personal info on your profile.

You don’t see who has looked at your profile; you will get a virus

Just admit that this app entices you. Knowing who has been checking you out online is something everyone wants. There are numerous petitions to let Facebook users see others who have viewed their profiles, and scammers are quickly jumping on the opportunity. They are good at figuring out what it is that people want. This isn’t good because they can use it to their advantage.

Do you would like a stranger to have access enough to your personal data that they can post on your Facebook page and even send you e-mails? Then you probably should avoid anything like the ePrivacy app. These people that start these scams don’t care about your or your details. They just want to make money with your Facebook profile.

Citations

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/29/scam-facebook-app-promise_n_789166.html

Don’t use the ePrivacy app on Facebook as it is a scam

The ePrivacy app is something that Facebook has now as the latest scam. The message, “OMG OMG OMG… I cant believe this actually works! Now you really can see who viewed your profile! on [link],” is displayed in the online social network platform to spread it.

As Facebook users, we want to stay up-to-date on the people we know. However, we also like to know who has been checking up on us, and the ePrivacy app is claiming it has the ability to do that. It promises to give you ultimate spying capabilities, showing you every person who views your Facebook profile. Whatever you do, don’t fall for it. The app being downloaded is a bad idea. The creator will get all the personal information on your profile.

You don’t see who has looked at your profile; you will get a virus

Just admit that this app entices you. Knowing who has been checking you out online is something everyone wants. Many Facebook users have been trying to find a way to see who has viewed their profiles. The opportunity is a great one to jump on for scammers. They know what people want, and they will use anything they can to their advantage.

Do you want a stranger to have access enough to your personal data that they can post on your Facebook page and even send you e-mails? Then you probably should avoid anything like the ePrivacy app. These scammers use your Facebook profile in order to start mischief so they can make some extra money, and they don’t mind using you to do it.

Citations

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/29/scam-facebook-app-promise_n_789166.html

Open Internet is on the mind of Julius Genachowski

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 11:47:27 GMT

Federal Communications Commission Chair Genachowski has signaled that the FCC will put a plan for a free and open Internet. In a national statement, the Federal Communications Commission chair stated that a positive “milestone” in the battle for an open Internet had been reached. By the end of the month, a govt commission will vote on whether the Internet will remain open and free to the public.

What you need to learn about net neutrality

The pronouncement made by Julius Genachowski has something at the heart of it. It is the concept of net neutrality. It is mostly that Americans should be able to get quality broadband Internet for a low price. The government will not mess around with or change the high speed connection to the web. In turn, companies like Comcast have to stay away from this as well. Furthermore, no websites should be given bandwidth preference, which makes the path to one big telecom’s content a freshly paved, high-speed expressway while limiting the competition’s path to a bumpy dirt road.

What are called ‘Basic rules of the road’

The statement made by Julius Genachowski talked about the reason why net neutrality is so significant. He said that corporate competition, individual expression, job creation and investment all need this. If the FCC’s open Internet measures are adopted later this month, here is what Americans can anticipate:

No filters when it comes to getting access to lawful content. As long as the U.S. law isn’t being broken, the FCC thinks that no company, individual or even the government should be allowed to restrict web content.

The broadband service should be shown to consumers. This is important. Before investing, consumers have to know what the real info is. That means that details about the services should be given so users will make informed decisions.

You have to have a good playing field. It has to all be even. When following the law, consumers are allowed to express themselves and engage in commerce. No permission or restriction can be needed or put on this. No one person can be able to have all the information. The freedom of information enables everyone to get what they need.

Price hikes and roadblocks in cyberspace

When William Gibson first coined the term “cyberspace” in his seminal 1984 cyberpunk novel “Neuromancer,” he had no idea that corporate barbarians would soon fight within the real world to monetize the flow of details. Some might say that Julius Genachowski and the FCC are seeking to turn the tide in favor of freedom. Filerting information is not okay. Also, price must drop.

Details from

FCC

hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-303136A1.pdf

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/julius-genachowski/preserving-a-free-and-ope_b_790553.html

Julius Genachowski’s statement

youtube.com/watch?v=HrwvW088oRY

Rules regarding how to keep away from holiday extra weight

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:27:34 GMT

That time of the year is here again, when we fill our bellies with delightful seasonal meals that seem endless. Everywhere you turn there is food — scrumptious Christmas cookies, delicious pies, eggnog at the neighbor’s. It’s really no wonder individuals fall victim to the food monster effortlessly. It’s common to see individuals gain a few additional pounds around this time of the year, especially with all the holiday gorging temptations. Nonetheless, you can keep yourself from this trap. Learn how you can stay away from seasonal weight gain with these simple, easy-to-follow tips.

Avoiding holiday weight gains- one

Right before a big holiday party you may want to work out to stay away from seasonal extra weight. It does two very good things to the body, physically and psychologically. Physically, you feel and look good. Mentally, you consciously and subconsciously keep away from certain foods that you know will work against your hard efforts to stay in shape.

Second rule to keep away from holiday weight gain

Never, ever arrive at a party hungry. Saving an appetite for the “big feast” is a bad thing to do. This just makes people hungrier than ever. Overeating is an issue then. If you do show up hungry at a party, drink a full glass of water or snack on a couple health bars to help control your food urges.

How to avoid holiday weight gain: Rule Number 3

Slower eating helps individuals lose weight. This is fairly well known. According to MSNBC, there is some evidence showing that eating more slowly actually affects how much you weigh. So take your time eating. You do not have to eat at a ridiculously slow pace, but you can eat slowly enough to savor each delicious bite of your holiday meal.

4th thing to keep in mind about holiday extra weight being prevented

Seasonal parties aren’t just there for the food and decorations. Don’t just thrive off the calorie filled food and drink and instead enjoy the other stuff. Go ahead and talk to everybody. Enjoy socializing with dancing and singing. Treat the holidays as an opportunity to talk to friends and family.

Simplest way to stay away from weight gain throughout the holidays

If you really want to avoid holiday weight gain this season, stay consistent, focused and true to your goals. Make sure you understand how important those goals on. Stay on track too.

Lack of Windows Phone 7 revenue buzz signifies it has most likely flopped

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 07:07:25 GMT

Windows Phone 7 product sales figures are a mystery the first week after Microsoft’s smartphone was released. Revenue numbers for smartphones are a standard PR opportunity that Microsoft has passed on. Most gadget-makers flood the web with press releases announcing enthusiastic consumer demand. The company’s deficiency of PR about Windows Phone 7 revenue leads analysts to believe the product is a dud.

There are no public figures for the Windows Phone 7

The ads “phone to save us from our phone,” cost Microsoft around $500 million, yet the phone is presumed to still be a dud. When Apple’s iPhonecame out it sold an average of 143,000 a day for the first few weeks. Mediapost says that might be a reason the Windows Phone 7 is doing the way it is assumed to be doing, because it had been launched on multiple handsets. An industry analyst told Mediapost that in some stores Windows Phone 7 devices had sold out, but it likely was due to limited supply instead of robust demand.

Microsoft distracts media with Kinect

Windows Phone 7 sales reports were conspicuously missing from Microsoft’s annual shareholders meeting held in Bellevue, Wash., on Tuesday. The focal point instead had been on the Kinect gaming console. Within the first 10 of the Kinect’s launch, it sold over one million. November 7 AT&T and T-Mobile released the Windows Phone 7 for Samsung, LG, and HTC. Ballmer did say at the conference the Windows Phone 7, “marks the beginning, we think, of a new era in intelligent phones. The reaction has been really fantastic.”

Smartphones from Microsoft and their journey

The Windows Phone is expected to bomb as outlined by the blogosphere. The LA Times reports the Windows Phone 7 cards are being “fried” within the Samsung model. The phone is insecure and the Office apps run badly as outlined by PC World. TechieInsider says that Microsoft can’t do with their phones what they do with their computers; put out the products and fix the bugs along the way.

Citations

Information Week

informationweek.com/news/hardware/handheld/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=228300084&subSection=All+Stories

MediaPost

mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=139701

Techie Insider

techieinsider.com/news/3745

Techie Insider

techieinsider.com/news/3745