Wynonna Judd to marry for a third time

FILE- In this Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 file photo, Wynonna Judd waits on the sidelines before singing the national anthem at an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn. Judd is engaged to her boyfriend, the drummer for the country group Highway 101. Judd, 47, and Cactus Moser, 54, got engaged Dec. 24. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

FILE- In this Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 file photo, Wynonna Judd waits on the sidelines before singing the national anthem at an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn. Judd is engaged to her boyfriend, the drummer for the country group Highway 101. Judd, 47, and Cactus Moser, 54, got engaged Dec. 24. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Wynonna Judd is celebrating an engagement this holiday season.

Representatives for the 47-year-old country singer say her boyfriend, Cactus Moser, popped the question on Christmas Eve.

They have been dating since 2009.

Moser, 54, is a drummer with the country group Highway 101.

The couple are currently on tour as Wynonna and The Big Noise.

This will be Judd's third marriage. She has two teenage children with her first husband.

News of the engagement was first reported Thursday by the website People.com.

___

Online:

http://www.wynonna.com/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-29-People-Wynonna%20Judd/id-64711cea84e54eed89fa8df0ba5c6e0b

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Is It Time to Overhaul the Calendar?

Egyptian calendar of Kom Ombo temple, in Egypt. Image: Flickr/guillenperez

Forget leap years, months with 28 days and your birthday falling on a different day of the week each year. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland say they have a better way to mark time: a new calendar in which every year is identical to the one before.

Their proposed calendar overhaul ? largely unprecedented in the 430 years since Pope Gregory XIII instituted the Gregorian calendar we still use today ? would divvy out months and weeks so that every calendar date would always fall on the same day of the week. Christmas, for example, would forever come on a Sunday.

"The calendar I'm advocating isn't nearly as accurate" as the Gregorian calendar, said Richard Henry, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins who has been pushing for calendar reform for years. "But it's far more convenient."

New versus old

The trouble with designing a nice, regular calendar is that each Earth year is 365.2422 days long, leaving extra snippets of time that don't fit nicely into a cycle of 24-hour days. If this time isn't somehow accounted for, the calendar "drifts" relative to the seasons, and the next thing you know, Christmas Day is coming after the spring thaw.

The Gregorian calendar deals with this by adding an extra day (Leap Day) to February about every four years, correcting for the seasonal drift. ?

"It's really incredible that in the Middle Ages, they were able to invent a new calendar that was so accurate," Henry told LiveScience. What bothers him about the Gregorian calendar, though, is the frustrating tendency for days of the week to jump around. Because 365 is not a multiple of seven, 7-day weeks don't fit evenly into the Gregorian calendar. That means that each year, dates shift over one day of the week (two during leap years).

"Everybody has to redo their calendars," Henry said. "For sports schedules, for schools, for every damn thing. It's completely unnecessary."

Under the Hanke-Henry Permanent Calendar (named after Henry and Steve Hanke, a Johns Hopkins economist who also advocates calendar overhaul), every date falls on the same day of the week ? forever.

The calendar follows a pattern of two 30-day months followed by one 31-day month. That means the old rhyme, "30 days hath September, April, June and November," would need to be revised to "30 days hath September, June, March and December."

To account for extra time, Hanke and Henry drop leap years and instead create a "leap week" at the end of December every five or six years. This extra week, dubbed "Xtr", would adjust for seasonal drift while keeping the 7-day cycle on track.

"The new calendar can be fairly often off as much as three days on the seasons, but looking out, could you tell?" Henry said. "Of course you couldn't tell."

The economics of time

For Henry, the new calendar is worth it because of how much time and effort goes into revising the calendar each year. He first got into the idea of calendar reform while having to yet again update lecture dates and syllabi for his students. He quickly discovered that there were calendar-reform advocates with suggestions on how to do away with that problem, he said.

"My heart sank, and I thought, 'Oh my god, I don't want to get involved in calendar reform. It's the stupidest waste of time. It's hopeless,'" Henry said.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=b16ade59710b29ce0e69cbc08e483f86

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Suit raises 'Who owns Twitter account?' issue

By Suzanne Choney

A former writer for the PhoneDog website is being sued by the company not for leaving it, but for leaving with PhoneDog's name as part of his Twitter handle, resulting in a lawsuit and raising the question of who really owns a Twitter name? And is it worth the kind of damages PhoneDog is seeking?

Noah Kravitz is facing the suit by Phone Dog Media, which says that when Kravitz left the company in October 2010, he took with him the Twitter name "Phonedog_Noah" (tied to his personal email) ? and 17,000 followers. The company is seeking damages of $340,000 ? $2.50 a month for every follower for the eight months Kravitz used "Phonedog_Noah" (until he was served with the suit).? He now goes by "noahkravitz."

Kravitz, who has gone public to talk about the issue, said when he left, PhoneDog, which covers cellphone news, said he could continue with the "Phonedog_Noah" account in exchange for tweeting for the company "from time to time."

Phone Dog Media has kept mum ? and definitely not tweeted ? about the lawsuit, but did issue this statement to the New York Times, which recently wrote about the case: ?The costs and resources invested by PhoneDog Media into growing its followers, fans and general brand awareness through social media are substantial and are considered property of PhoneDog Media L.L.C. We intend to aggressively protect our customer lists and confidential information, intellectual property, trademark and brands.?

Kravitz, who now writes for TechnoBuffalo, said he's not sure how PhoneDog came up with the monetary formula it used in seeking damages for the total of $340,000.

"If you took their valuation and if you applied it to the Twitter accounts of somebody like Lady Gaga or Shaq, you'd have the gross domestic product of more than one nation on earth per month," he recently said in a CNN interview.

The case, attorney Henry J. Cittone, a specialist in intellectual property disputes, told the Times, will "establish precedent in the online world, as it relates to ownership of social media accounts."

In the meantime, publicity is bringing Kravitz many other Twitter followers; as of Tuesday, he had more than 23,700 of them.

Related stories:

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on?Facebook,?and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/28/9776090-lawsuit-raises-who-owns-your-twitter-account-issue

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Samsung May Offer "Value Pack" Instead of Ice Cream Sandwich in Galaxy Devices

Samsung originally said it was not going to update the Galaxy S and the original Galaxy Tab to Ice Cream Sandwich due to its TouchWiz user interface. This did not go over well with customers at all. Their reactions caused Samsung to reconsider its stance on updating the two devices. Just as soon as that glimmer of hope appeared, a new report is?threatening?to eliminate an authentic ICS experience on both devices....

More Suggested Content:

Samsung, Google Finally Unveil Galaxy Nexus
October 19, 2011 From News
Samsung and Google Wednesday in Hong Kong finally unveiled the long-awaited new Galaxy Nexus, the first device to feature the new "Ice Cream Sandwich" version of Android.

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Source: http://www.dealerscope.com/aggregatedcontent/samsung-may-offer-value-pack-instead-ice-cream-sandwich-galaxy-devices

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Arsenal blows opportunity

By STEVE DOUGLAS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 12:17 p.m. ET Dec. 27, 2011

LONDON (AP) -Arsenal's flailing title hopes in the Premier League received a setback when it was held 1-1 at home by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, wasting a chance to move above London rival Chelsea into fourth place.

With Robin van Persie - the league's leading scorer with 16 goals - having a rare off-day, it was left to his strike partner Gervinho to break the deadlock in the eighth minute for Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.

However, the hosts couldn't capitalize on their utter dominance and after Steven Fletcher equalized against the run of play in the 38th with his seventh of the season, Wolves held out for the final 17 minutes with 10 men following the straight sending-off of Nenad Milijas for a studs-first tackle.

Draws on Monday by leader Manchester City, Chelsea and sixth-place Liverpool had left the door ajar for Arsenal to make up some ground but Arsene Wenger's side dropped points at home for only the third time this campaign to stay fifth.

Arsenal is a point behind Chelsea and 12 behind the top two, Manchester clubs City and United, after 18 games.

"There's going to be a lot of twists and turns but unfortunately we couldn't take advantage today. That's the frustrating thing," Wenger said. "You have to take these chances."

Wolves will thank Wayne Hennessey for preserving a point after the goalkeeper denied Van Persie several times. The Netherlands striker needs two goals to equal the Premier League record of 36 in a calendar year, set by Alan Shearer in 1995, but has just one match left - at home to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday - to achieve that.

"It was the kind of game that if you played 20 times, you win 19 of them. Unfortunately this was the one time we didn't win," Wenger said. "Their keeper played the game of his life."

Van Persie has struck up a good partnership with Theo Walcott but the England winger missed the game with a stomach bug and Arsenal missed his pace out wide.

The midfield wasn't short of creativity, though, and playmakers Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun combined superbly on a counterattack for the first goal.

Benayoun, making his first league start for Arsenal since his loan move from Chelsea in August, was found by Rosicky in space and the Israel captain threaded in a through-ball for Ivory Coast forward Gervinho, who rounded Hennessey to slot in his fourth goal of the campaign.

Matt Jarvis was Wolves' best outlet on the left wing but the visitors were being pinned back, meaning their goal came out of nowhere. Stephen Hunt's shot from the edge of the area deflected into the path of the Fletcher and the Scottish forward stooped to direct a header into the bottom corner from eight yards (meters).

With Wolves flooding the midfield with hard workers, Arsenal was being stifled and frustrated, even more so when Hennessey tipped over a curling free kick from Van Persie in the 65th, the first chance of many Arsenal in the closing stages.

Milijas' red card, for a lunge on Mikel Arteta, increased the pressure on Wolves although the 73rd-minute decision seemed harsh, with the Serbia midfielder's foot remaining on the ground during the challenge.

"If (the referee) sees it again, it can't be a sending-off," Wolves manager Mick McCarthy said.

Van Persie, the league's in-form striker this season, squandered a one-on-one chance when played through by Rosicky moments later.

The Dutchman was then twice denied by Hennessey and Per Mertesacker had a header saved as the visitors just held on for only their fifth away point of the season.

"It was the kind of day where we were not relaxed enough in front of goal. We wanted the win too much," Wenger said.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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More newsAdrian Dennis / AFP - Getty Images

Arsenal blows opportunity

Arsenal's flailing title hopes in the Premier League received a setback when it was held 1-1 at home by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.

Man United rolls

Manchester United flourished as Manchester City floundered on Monday to wipe out its neighbor's lead in the Premier League title race.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45797049/ns/sports-soccer/

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Nigerian court rejects challenge to Jonathan win (Reuters)

Abuja (Reuters) ? Nigeria's Supreme Court threw out a challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan's election victory in April, upholding the result and rejecting calls by the main opposition party for a recount in several parts of the country.

Jonathan was declared winner with 59 percent of the vote but his nearest rival, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who scored 32 percent, refused to accept the outcome.

Buhari's Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) party filed a petition to challenge it in May, arguing the vote was marred by irregularities. But the Supreme Court's judgment on Wednesday upheld earlier rulings by lower courts in Jonathan's favour.

"The judgment of the lower court is affirmed and consequently the third respondent (Goodluck Jonathan) ... won the election conducted on 16 April 2011," Justice Olufunmilayo Adekeye told the court on Wednesday, reading out a unanimous decision by seven judges.

Rioting erupted in largely Muslim opposition strongholds in the north after the victory of Jonathan, a Christian from the south, was announced in May. Churches, mosques, homes and shops were set ablaze and at least 500 people were killed.

This ruling ends the legal challenge against Jonathan's mandate, giving him a breather to focus on governance in Africa's most populous nation, but coincides with more attacks.

On Sunday, Islamist militants set off bombs across the country, three targeting churches, including one that killed at least 27 people. On Tuesday night, attackers threw a homemade bomb into an Arabic school in Delta state, wounding seven people, mostly children.

The CPC had said the electoral commission computers were rigged to sway the count against Buhari, a northern Muslim, in parts of the north, and that the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) vote was inflated in some of its southern strongholds.

In response to the judgment, Buhari said he acknowledged that no election was perfect anywhere but he questioned how the ruling party could secure almost 100 percent of votes cast in most parts of the country, calling it "plain fraud."

"The Supreme Court has turned a blind eye and deaf ear to this gross irregularity," Buhari said after the judgment.

"All who witnessed the conduct of the 2011 election will know that this decision ... is politically motivated and has little judicial content, he told reporters outside the courtroom, but added that he would accept the decision.

Election observers and most Nigerians say the vote was the most credible for decades in Africa's second biggest economy, which had experienced virtually nothing but military rule and rigged elections for the past half-century.

Jonathan's spokesman Reuben Abati said in a statement: "Now that that process has run its full course, President Jonathan hopes that General Buhari and his party will accept the ruling ... in good faith and join hands with him ... to build a united, stronger and prosperous nation."

Although Buhari was ahead in almost all of the states in northern Nigeria, Jonathan also picked up millions of votes in the region, giving him a credible national mandate.

Yet the PDP's parliamentary majority has been reduced and it also lost control of several states in governorship races held 10 days after the presidential vote.

(Additional reporting by Felix Onuah in Abuja; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/ts_nm/us_nigeria_court

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Stolen iPad helps locate Christmas Day burglary suspect

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Source: abclocal.go.com --- Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The 'pinging' of an IPad helped officials track down a burglary suspect and return Christmas gifts to some happy children. ...

Source: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8480756&rss=rss-kabc-article-8480756

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New year brings new risks for California politicians

Ask most people what's significant about Dec. 30 and you may get a puzzled look. But politics junkies know that's the official start of California's next election season.

It opens on a markedly altered stage, set with a new primary system and different voting districts. Lingering uncertainties about some of those districts, thanks to a federal lawsuit and a possible state referendum aimed at overturning them, are adding to the drama.

Not since term limits for state offices took effect in the mid-1990s have California politicians faced such risks to their careers.

"There are more wild cards in the 2012 elections than we've seen" in nearly two decades, said Thad Kousser, a UC San Diego political scientist.

Friday is the first day candidates for legislative and congressional races can take out papers to run. But given the new wrinkles in the state election system, hundreds of candidates started raising money and campaigning months ago, some even before the redistricting commission finished the new political maps.

"There's been a lot of work done [by candidates] trying to strategically position themselves into a district," said consultant Paul Mitchell, who advises politicians on redistricting. To some, early announcements seemed "like a big advantage."

But there are still opportunities for those who hadn't made up their minds so soon, he added: "We still see some people running around looking for districts, and we still have some retirements and [contest] shifts to go."

Those who wish to collect nomination signatures rather than pay a filing fee to get on the June primary ballot have until Feb. 23 to do so. After that, the filing period ends March 9 for most races.

In the new "top-two" primary, the first- and second-place finishers, regardless of political party, will go head to head in November. Candidates may state on the ballot that they belong to a state-recognized political party or that they have "no party preference."

That change and the new voting districts, drawn for the first time by a citizens group instead of by lawmakers protecting incumbents, were promoted as ways to help end partisan gridlock. The combination, proponents said, would lead to more competitive races, produce more moderate officeholders and reduce the extremism that has bedeviled Sacramento and Washington.

But voters, who approved both new systems, may be disappointed if they expect significantly more competition between the main parties, experts say. That's partly because Democrats account for nearly half of the voters in California, and there are too few Republicans to compete in many areas.

Another factor is what Mitchell calls "residential sorting." Like-minded voters tend to live in the same areas. Liberal Democrats cluster in urban centers, and conservative Republicans tend to dominate in more rural areas.

Still, it wouldn't take many more swing districts to change the dynamic in Sacramento, said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC and a former Republican advisor.

Even a dozen or so competitive districts in the 120-member Legislature "can create some common ground that makes it easier for the two parties to work together," Schnur said.

He and other politics experts agreed that the unknown factors in the new election environment will help keep officeholders and candidates on their toes.

"The combination of redistricting and the open primary is going to produce unpredictability, and politicians faced with unpredictability tend to be nervous politicians," Schnur said. "And nervous politicians tend to be responsive politicians.

"Regardless of how either of these reforms works out in the long run, large numbers of candidates are likely to spend more time listening to voters than they have in the past.... And that's a good thing."

jean.merl@latimes.com

Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-elections-20111226,0,4411669.story?track=rss

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Father makes iPhone app to help daughter read

Hotel Booking

Source: http://easybranches.com/2011/12/27/father-makes-iphone-app-to-help-daughter-read/

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4 out of 5 Australians Worry about Debt; New Reality ? Owing More on Your Home Than You Own; Shocking Year for Corporate Collapses ; Merry Christmas to Those Down Under

Merry Christmas to all my Australian readers. Here is an economic roundup, with many links sent from Australian readers over the past couple weeks, especially Tony the "Brisbane Bear".

Boxing Day Sale Before Christmas?

Boxing Day is traditionally the day after Christmas. Not this year, at least for all retailers.

Tony Writes ? "Talk about desperation! We are now having the traditional Boxing day sales before Christmas. This will not make any difference in the longer run as everyone is now so accustomed to deals that any retailer who doesn?t offer substantial discounts won?t get any business. It is a whole new paradigm in retail that will eventually spread to all sectors. Businesses with high fixed costs will go broke in droves."

Please consider?Myer brings forward online ?Boxing Day? sale

December 23, 2011
The annual Boxing Day sales need a new name, it seems.

This year retail giant Myer will launch its annual post-Christmas shopping bonanza two days early, on Christmas Eve, for online customers.

Myer spokesman Steven Carey said more than 1100 new items would be available for purchase on the Myer website from 6pm tomorrow ? the first time the company had launched its stocktake sale early online.

While some customers were expected to stick to the annual tradition of queueing outside stores on Monday to snap up a bargain, Mr Carey said more and more people were choosing to shop from the comfort of their own home.

??We?ve got to cater to both the online and the bricks-and-mortar customer,?? Mr Carey said.

It comes as electronics giant Harvey Norman, which has long complained about the rise of international online shopping, began selling computer games this week via a website in Ireland that lets Australian consumers avoid GST.

Chairman Gerry Harvey said the company had launched the initiative reluctantly. "We are not doing this with a great deal of joy. We have been able to do this for a long time, we have held off," he said. "But you get to a point where you can?t hold off."

Mr Carey said if Myer?s online experiment this year was successful, it could become an annual event.

Treasurer Swan takes a potshot at ?whinger? Retailer Gerry Harvey

Tony writes ?"The Treasurer and our biggest retailer are having a slanging match right on Christmas. The party is over and everyone is getting very, very agitated as they try to deal with the new reality."

Please consider?Swan takes a potshot at ?whinger? Gerry Harvey

December 23, 2011
Treasurer Wayne Swan says it?s just not Christmas if retailer Gerry Harvey isn?t whingeing about soft sales.

The co-founder of Harvey Norman has been highly critical of the rise of international online shopping, which he says is threatening Australian jobs and businesses.

Mr Swan defended the GST threshold on goods bought offshore, saying a Productivity Commission report into the issue found it wasn?t the cause of retailers? woes.

"I can?t remember a Christmas where Gerry Harvey wasn?t whingeing," he told ABC Radio today.

"Back when we put the original stimulus package in place he spent a lot of time whingeing about that, but ultimately it did lift consumption in Australia."

Mr Harvey responded, saying he wasn?t a whinger and just wanted to protect the whole retail sector, not only his business.

"To call me a whinger when you are poll-driven, that?s just an illusion," he told ABC Radio.

He told Mr Swan: "I?ve been telling you and your government for a long time ? you have a major problem: the GST. You thought it was more important to think about the votes you were going to get."

Retailers Rocked as Debt Crisis Spreads

Tony writes ? "Hi Mish. I have been saying for ages that we have cost structures set to boom time conditions with no way of lowering costs.

Panic is setting in. Prominent broker Charlie Aitken has warned that the industry has a cost base tailored for a boom year such as 2007, when volumes are more in line with 2002."

Please consider?Retailers rocked as debt crisis spreads

December 20, 2011
THE nation?s shoppers have firmly closed their wallets amid fears of a full-blown debt contagion in Europe, while Billabong shares were smashed by 44 per cent yesterday after the iconic surfwear company released a shock profit downgrade.?

The Billabong malaise extended to other discretionary retail stocks such as David Jones and JB Hi-Fi, as more than $30 billion was shed from the value of local equities.

4 out of 5 Australians Worry about Debt

The Sydney Morning Herald reports?Most Australians worried about debt

December 19, 2011
Four out of five Australians are worried about their ability to meet future debt repayments, a survey shows.

The biannual survey by data intelligence company Veda, found 82 per cent were worried about their ability to meet debt repayments in the future, up from 75 per cent a year ago.

The survey also found that one in five Australians was struggling to repay their current credit commitments.

However, about 29 per cent of this sub group were considering applying for more credit in the next six months, the survey found.

"It is concerning that there are people struggling with their current debt levels but are turning to more credit as the answer, potentially edging closer to a debt spiral," Veda senior adviser Matthew Strassbourg said in a statement.

Here is a stat straight from the Twilight Zone: 82% are concerned about debt yet 29% of those worried want more credit.

New Reality ? Owing More Than You Own

The Age reports on the "New Reality"?Owing More on Your Home Than You Own

Rising property values have been an article of faith in the housing market for a generation of Australians who borrowed big as real estate prices marched ever upward.

While the percentage of home owners with so-called negative equity remains tiny ? about one in fifty of the 3 million households with mortgages ? the number may well swell in 2012 if home prices extend their declines as some analysts expect.

The emergence of a sector of the housing market ??under water?? on their mortgages may hurt an already fragile real estate market. Any forced sales would obviously dent individual household wealth but further drops in home prices would deter investors from buying residential properties.

Tony writes "Hey Mish, Negative equity is a new buzz word slowly entering the lexicon."

Yes indeed. For starters, I highly doubt that only 1-in-50 are underwater. Regardless, I expect that number to be 40-in-50 of those who bought or did a substantial cash-out refi in the last four years. I do not know what percentage that is, but I do know it is far more than 2%.

Shocking Year for Corporate Collapses?

Tony comments "Hey Mish, panic is setting in as retail chains go broke daily. The banks are warning that next year will be very tough. It is a vicious cycle and it is gathering speed as panic spreads and people stop spending"

SmartCompany reports?Tools chain Glenfords placed in voluntary administration

The shocking year for Australian corporate collapses has continued, with discount tools chain Glenfords now up for sale after being placed in voluntary administration last week.

The sale of the chain comes as the do-it-yourself sector has reached a major transformation point, with market leading hardware chain Bunnings now battling the Woolworths-backed Masters chain.

Analysts have said mid-tier and smaller operators will slowly be pushed out of the market as Bunnings and Masters stores dominate areas once controlled by SMEs.

The construction industry has been one of the worst hit this year ? it suffers the highest number of insolvency appointments out of any sector. Glenfords has likely suffered alongside that drop in demand.

Talent Two and Billabong Shares Smashed

Tony writes ? "The interesting downgrade was Talent2, these guys have been very successful for a long time but it seems white collar jobs are drying up fast"

The Australian reports?No ?ho ho? from Billabong, Talent Two

December 19, 2011
THERE?S no ho ho ho on the bourse today, as hopes for a consumer-led recovery evaporate as quickly as snow on an outback nativity set.?

Talent Two and Billabong ? smashed by 50 per cent and 37 per cent respectively ? tell two parts of the dismal story.

Talent Two, a leading recruiter, reported current-half earnings wouldn?t come within cooee of expectations because of reduced hiring caused by ?fears of European contagion and the volatility of financial markets?.

Talent Two?s full-year EBITDA is expected to come in at less than half the expected $30m or so, but the shares probably received an extra dollop of punishment because the ?market update? was issued at beer-o-clock on Friday.

Talent Two focuses on white-collar hiring, especially in the financial services sector where fearful workers rue their lack of skill at driving mining earthmovers or sealing S bends with O rings. It doesn?t take a (still employed) rocket scientist to work out scared workers won?t be buying electronic gizmos or surfwear, hence JB Hi-Fi?s surprise downgrade last week (also after market close) and the ever-erratic Billabong?s shocker this morning.

Retail Malaise Spreads Like Wildfire

The Age Reports?Myer to close or shrink stores as retail malaise bites

Last week, failed apparel retailer Fletcher Jones said it would close a third of its stores immediately and shed 61 staff as administrators try to revive and sell the company.

Myer stores at Tuggeranong in the Australian Capital Territory and at Forest Hill in Melbourne?s east will close early next year. Others outlets will be shrunk when the shopping centres in which they operate are redeveloped.

Real estate stockbroking analysts suggested the Myer stores at Dandenong Plaza and possibly in Wollongong, south of Sydney, could also be closed.

It is not just the stores that are shrinking. Myer has already reduced the range of white goods, electrical items, DVDs and CDs it offers, and is also reducing the number and range of location devices such as GPSs in response to changed sales conditions.

Harvey Norman is following suit, shrinking the space devoted to electrical goods in response to a plummet in prices, which means the retailer has to sell many more television sets, for example, to make the same money.

Tony writes ?

Hey Mish.

Myer is probably our oldest and most respected retail department store. (I would guess Sears or Bloomingdale?s would be US equivalents) they are in real trouble and are proposing closing stores and downsizing others.

Retail business models are broken (as are 1000?s of other business models in various sectors) and reality is sinking in. It will be very ugly when people realise that there is literally no way out.

Wages are way, way too high and working conditions are way too generous and most all other overheads are way too costly. Throw in terrible industrial relations laws that this Socialist government has introduced and you have a recipe for disaster.

Spotlight on Australia

For those who think Australia can do no wrong and Australia is the place to be, need to take another look at Australian housing, Australian retail, and also the slowdown in China.

I contend things are going to get very nasty for those down under.??

Thanks for the Links ? Merry Christmas

I get links from "Brisbane Bear" nearly every day and links from Bran in Spain nearly every day.?

Indeed, I get links from all over the world every day and I appreciate them. Sometimes they stack up like this before I use them and sometimes I never use them. But I do appreciate them regardless.?

Many times I get 30 or more emails on a story gone viral. I Typically do not respond to such articles or use them.

If you do send a link, my most common response is simply "thanks". I get hundreds of emails a day and often cannot say much more than that.?

If I never respond (not once, but repetitively), I cannot use the stories you send, you are consistently late, or I have already seen them. Most often I will not use or respond to conspiracy theories.

Finally, to those who email every day, please note I may say "thanks" only occasionally.

Merry Christmas Australia (they are nearly day ahead of Chicago), and to everyone else too!?

Mike "Mish" Shedlock

Source: http://www.philstockworld.com/2011/12/24/4-out-of-5-australians-worry-about-debt-new-reality-owing-more-on-your-home-than-you-own-shocking-year-for-corporate-collapses-merry-christmas-to-those-down-under/

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[Hartware.net] Kein Android 4 f?r das Galaxy S & Tab

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Source: http://nl.hardware.info/extern/21543888/kein-android-4-fur-das-galaxy-s-a-tab

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Cowboys play it safe, rest Romo, Felix vs. Philly (AP)

ARLINGTON, Texas ? Tony Romo was in the locker room dealing with a passing hand that wasn't broken, but was swelling.

At the same time, the New York Giants were polishing off a victory that rendered the result of this game just about meaningless, and turned their game against the Cowboys in New York next weekend into a battle for the NFC East title.

So Jerry Jones left his midfield viewing booth and marched right to coach Jason Garrett on the sideline. Neither would give a clear explanation of their conversation, but it's obvious how the chat went considering Romo didn't return and oft-injured running back Felix Jones soon joined him on the sideline.

Missing those crucial players, and lacking intensity, the Cowboys came within 7 seconds of being shut out at home for the first time in 20 years, losing 20-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday.

"You have to step back and understand what the situation is," Garrett said. "We need to be as healthy as we can be next week."

New York's victory eliminated the Eagles from the playoffs and meant the Cowboys couldn't clinch the division title with a win. Dallas could've still been playing for a wild-card backup plan, but was clearly more concerned about getting ready for the "win and you're in" route to the playoffs, especially after Romo banged his hand on the helmet of a defender.

Garrett said the club had decided earlier in the week who would and wouldn't play if the Giants won. Garrett said Romo's injury added a new wrinkle.

The question of why Jones decided to personally go over the plan with Garrett again, and in light of the Romo injury, wasn't really answered.

"I did want to go and communicate real good and we did communicate real good," Jones said. "These are decisions made by Jason, ultimately."

Michael Vick threw touchdown passes on his first drive and just before halftime, which was all the scoring the Eagles would need. They added a pair of field goals in the second half, while their defense prevented an offense powered by Stephen McGee, Sammy Morris and Chauncey Washington from sustaining any drives.

Dallas' only points came after a blocked punt set up McGee on the Philadelphia 16-yard line with 19 seconds left. He ran for 12 yards, then hit Miles Austin for a 4-yard touchdown pass to avoid the first shutout since November 2003, and the first at home since September 1991, also against Philadelphia.

"I just feel like we dodged a bullet ? Romo is healthy, that's critical to us," Jones said. "I certainly agree with how we played the game tonight, and who played what, when and how they played ? complete agreement with it."

Dallas (8-7) lost for the third time in four games, guaranteeing another losing record after Thanksgiving. If the Cowboys end up missing the playoffs, this flop at the finish will loom large all offseason. Of course, if they win the division, it'll only be a footnote.

The upcoming week will be filled with all sorts of similar high-stakes ramifications that will be riding on the finale for both Dallas and New York. Anticipating huge interest ? and high ratings ? that game has been moved to NBC's prime-time Sunday night showcase.

"If at the beginning of the year you told us we would have a chance to win the division in Week 17, we would have jumped at it," tight end Jason Witten said. "We will have to play our best football. It's on the road. It's going to be tough. But that's the environment you have to take. The Giants have been in these situations, too. It's going to be a huge challenge."

When this game kicked off, the Giants were up by only six points midway through the fourth quarter, so the Cowboys and Eagles still had a lot to play for.

Philadelphia got the ball first and Vick picked up where he left off the last time these teams met, cruising 80 yards in eight plays for a 7-0 lead. Then the Eagles snuffed Romo, forcing a punt from around midfield.

On the final play of that series, Romo rushed a third-down pass to avoid a sack. On his follow-through, he smacked his passing hand on Jason Babin's helmet. That's when things got about as interesting as they'd be the rest of the afternoon.

The drama began with Jones leaving his midfield viewing booth to chat with Garrett. He returned to his booth about the same time Romo returned to the sideline.

Romo couldn't grip the ball or take a snap, so he got his hand and wrist wrapped. While he was trading his helmet for a baseball cap, team vice president Stephen Jones arrived on the sideline and spoke with trainers. Felix Jones then joined Romo as being done for the day.

McGee ? who moved up from third-stringer to backup when Jon Kitna went on injured reserve ? took over for Romo and went 24 of 38 for 182 yards, with four runs for 28 yards.

McGee beat the Eagles in last season's finale, but he struggled to even sustain drives this time. It didn't help that his running backs were Morris (pulled from retirement before last week's game) and Washington (signed off the street this week).

"It took me a little while to get comfortable," McGee said. "I don't get very many reps, basically never in a real game. I felt like I made progress through the game."

Philadelphia (7-8) won its third straight, giving the preseason "Dream Team" and midseason nightmare the chance to break even if it can beat the Redskins at home in its finale next weekend. The Eagles also swept the season series against the Cowboys for the first time since 2006, having clobbered Dallas 34-7 in October.

"If we had gotten into the playoffs we would have definitely done some damage," Vick said. "It's unfortunate we didn't. That's the game of football. We made some mistakes early (this season) and got behind in the win-loss column. But we're just happy we're finishing strong."

The defense sure is. Philadelphia has allowed just 36 points and 683 yards over the last three games, with 16 sacks.

"I think it took a little time to gel," said defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, one of the offseason additions whose arrival raised expectations. "I guess it took longer than we anticipated. We just didn't get the job done. You can make all the excuses in the world, but they really don't mean anything. At the end of the season when you look at our final record, there's not going to be asterisk by it. You just have to own up to it. We let a lot of opportunities get away from us early. All we can do now is control what we do in the future."

Vick was 18 of 32 for 293 yards, with the touchdowns going to Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek. Jason Avant nearly had another TD, but fumbled inches before touching the pylon, resulting in a touchback for the Cowboys.

DeSean Jackson caught five passes for 90 yards, and ran for 27 yards on two end arounds, both on consecutive plays.

Alex Henery kicked field goals of 43 and 51 yards for the Eagles' only points in the second half.

"They're disappointed we don't have a shot at the playoffs," coach Andy Reid said. "At the same time I was pleased with the energy they brought to the football field. They wanted to dominate and play aggressive football. Nobody was hanging their heads."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_cowboys

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OnLive for Android Could Make the Xperia Play Worth a Damn [Android]

On paper the Xperia Play seems like a good idea. An Android phone with a slide out gaming pad. Then it was released and everyone yawned. Today's OnLive announcement could turn those yawns into Woohoos. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ehxxZpo8u-E/onlive-for-android-could-make-xperia-play-worth-a-damn

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Amazon may benefit as digital goods sales jump (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Digital goods are the fastest-growing category online this holiday, led by e-books, suggesting Amazon.com Inc's strategy of blanketing the world with cheap e-readers and tablet computers may be producing some early gains.

Sales of digital goods, which also include music and videos, are up about 30 percent this holiday season, compared to the same period last year, according to comScore data.

That is ahead of sales of consumer electronics and jewelry and watches, which are up about 25 percent versus last year's holiday season, and apparel and accessories, which are growing in line with overall e-commerce at roughly 15 percent, comScore data show.

The only other holiday season that digital goods grew the fastest was in 2006, when sales jumped 83 percent from a smaller base, according to comScore. At that time, Apple Inc's iTunes music store drove a lot of the growth of the category.

"Music is a much more stable market at this point. The real new growth is coming from e-books," said Andrew Lipsman of comScore.

"The increased proliferation of devices, such as tablets and e-readers, has led to more forms of digital content being downloaded," he added. "People are downloading e-books in a way they had not previously."

Amazon launched its $199 Kindle Fire tablet ahead of the holidays and slashed prices on its range of Kindle e-readers.

Earlier this month, Amazon said customers were buying more than one million Kindles a week and analysts at Goldman Sachs estimate the company will sell 14 million units during the fourth quarter.

Amazon priced these products aggressively and many analysts estimate the company is making little or no profit on the devices. Instead, Amazon is hoping to make money from higher sales of digital goods, according to Aaron Kessler, an analyst at Raymond James.

"Tablets and Kindles are selling a lot this season and that should ultimately benefit Amazon's digital sales," he said.

A DIGITAL CHRISTMAS

Still, a lot of these devices were bought as gifts this holiday, so the full impact on digital content sales will probably not come until Christmas Day and the weeks that follow, Kessler added.

Indeed, the 30 percent growth rate of digital goods so far this holiday season will likely increase next week, comScore's Lipsman said.

Christmas Day is the heaviest day of the year for digital content sales and downloads. Last year, about $10 million was spent on this category on Christmas Day. The second busiest days were Dec 26 and Dec 27, according to comScore.

Spending on digital goods during the week between Christmas and New Year's last year was three times more than the average week in 2010, comScore data also show.

In the past, such spikes have been caused by people using new Apple iPods, iPads and iTunes gift cards to buy and download music, videos, apps and e-books, Lipsman said.

"We think it will be even bigger this year as more tablets and e-readers make it onto the market," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon is a major beneficiary of this."

Historically, Christmas Day is the largest day for digital sales on Amazon.com, followed by Dec 26. Last year, from Christmas Eve through Dec 30, Amazon's digital content sales were over three times higher than the weekly average for 2010.

"With the introduction of Kindle Fire this season, millions more customers will be shopping for new digital content," said Craig Pape, director of music at Amazon.com.

Amazon is planning to run discounts on digital goods, including e-books, music, video, apps and games, on Christmas Day and the days that follow.

(Reporting by Alistair Barr; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111223/wr_nm/us_amazon_digitalgoods

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State veterinarian clears Santa?s reindeer to enter California

5:35 pm - Fri, Dec 23, 2011

SACRAMENTO ? California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford has granted a 24-hour permit clearing all brand inspection and health requirements for nine reindeer slated to visit California on the evening of Dec. 24 and in the early morning hours of Dec. 25.

The permit application was filed in person by a rotund, jolly man with a red suit and a white beard. The signature on the paperwork reads ?K. Kringle,? according to a Thursday press statement from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Brand inspections and health requirements help veterinarians prevent the spread of animal disease.

The law also mandates that all animals entering California be individually identified. The nine reindeer named on the permit are: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder (or Donner), Blitzen and Rudolph.

The permit was granted under two conditions: the nine reindeer may not co-mingle with other reindeer in the state of California, and the visiting reindeer may not be used for breeding purposes while in the state.

?It is our pleasure to issue the permit to Mr. Kringle and do our part to ensure another successful trip,? said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. ?We wish him safe travels, clear skies and plenty of milk and cookies as he and his reindeer make deliveries to the good children of California.?

(Source: lakeconews.com)

Source: http://lakeconews.tumblr.com/post/14698447805

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Who's afraid of a 13-foot-tall walking robot?

Hajime Research Institute

Hajime Sakamoto, president of Japan's Hajime Research Institute, is soliciting sponsors to help him build a 13-foot-tall humanoid robot.

By John Roach

If all goes reasonably well, the future will be full of friendly humanoid robots that that bake cookies, fold laundry, fetch beers, and clean up our messes. We'll likely think of them as unthreatening helpers. After all, most prototypes are unmistakably robots and aren't quite as tall as a full-grown adult.

That may change if Hajime Sakamoto gets his way. The president of Japan's Hajime Research Institute is soliciting sponsors to help him build a 13-foot-tall humanoid robot. A robot that big around the house might be better suited to make sure you (and your kiddos) do your own household chores.

The robot will be the largest humanoid robot in the world and capable of bipedal walking, the company notes. It will come with a cockpit, presumably so that humans can use it as alternative mode of transportation ? or just to scare the daylights out of friends and neighbors.

Bipedalism, that is two-footed, upright walking, is hallmark of primate evolution that separates monkeys from early humans. Doing it is no simple task (just watch a toddler learning to walk). Designing a robot that moves around with human efficiency on two feet has been an ongoing challenge in robotics.?

A breakthrough came in 2005 when a trio of?robots that walk in a human-like manner was reported in the journal Science. One was about as tall as an adult woman, according to the researchers, and all three were lauded for shedding light on the biomechanics of human walking.

That is, by building robots that walk like humans, we are forced to learn more about how we actually do the task. This in turn results in more human-like robots and could also lead to more life-like robotic prosthesis.

If the video below showcasing Sakamoto's 7-foot bipedal robot playing soccer is any indication, his quest for a 13 footer, and even taller bots, appears driven by an obsession with the "Mobile Suits" seen in the anime series Gundam.?

? via PopSci

More on walking robots:

---

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Ten years of war have given robot developers a chance to refine and improve their bots. Now the robots are finding all sorts of new jobs on the homefront.

?

Source: http://futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/22/9636330-whos-afraid-of-a-13-foot-tall-walking-robot

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Exclusive: China CIC sovereign fund to get $50 billion boost (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China's $410 billion sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp. (CIC.UL) is set to receive additional funding of up to $50 billion, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday.

The new funding comes along with an agreement between relevant Chinese government agencies to give CIC new money to manage every year, the sources said.

The agreement would lay out a long-term framework under which CIC would be allocated money to manage from China's foreign exchange reserves, and would also chart the future of its domestic investment arm Central Huijin Investment, sources said.

"The final plan for capital injection will be unveiled shortly and it could be $50 billion," a source close to the matter said.

CIC declined to comment.

The cash injection follows in the wake of plans -- reported by Reuters earlier this month -- to create a new $300 billion vehicle that would be affiliated with China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), the part of the central bank in charge of the daily management of China's $3.2 trillion in foreign exchange reserves.

The additional funding would give succor to CIC, which operates independently of the central bank, which said in March that it had fully invested all its cash and would like the government to allocate it more money.

Chinese media have reported since late 2009 that CIC was seeking $100-$200 billion in new funding, but there have been no subsequent reports of progress.

CIC was set up in 2007 with the aim of earning higher returns for a slice of China's $3.2 trillion foreign exchange reserves, the largest in the world.

(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Nick Edwards)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111223/bs_nm/us_china_sovereign

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ITC sides with Apple, bans sale and import of some HTC phones (updated)

The ITC has issued a ruling in favor of Apple Inc., banning the sale and import or certain HTC phones in the US. The ruling, which was widely expected to finally be handed down today after being delayed twice, finds that HTC violates a pair of patents held by the Cupertino company regarding the formatting of data (such as phone numbers) in otherwise unstructured documents (such as emails) allowing users to interact with them. The ban isn't scheduled to be enacted until April 19th of 2012, giving HTC and Google plenty of time to address the court's concerns. The Taiwanese manufacturer could also simply remove the feature from its phones, though, the ability to interact with such information across apps, such as tapping a phone number in an email to dial it, is an ability most consumers expect their devices to support.

The International Trade Commission did not find that HTC violated two other patents in question, which related to realtime signal processing and would have been much more difficult to HTC to circumvent. Of course, this saga is far from over and we expect these two (along with practically every other mobile manufacturer on the planet) to continue to duke it out in the courts as opposed to in our stores.

You can check out the full PDF of the ruling at the source.

Update: Looks like HTC already has a plan in place to make it all better. Not shocking, but there it is.

ITC sides with Apple, bans sale and import of some HTC phones (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink FOSS Patents  |  ITC (PDF)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ufD00qwzSdk/

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Turkey slams France over genocide bill (AP)

ANKARA, Turkey ? Turkey's prime minister on Saturday sharply criticized France for a bill that would make it a crime to deny the World War I-era mass killing of Armenians was genocide.

Saying France should investigate what he said was its own "dirty and bloody history" in Algeria and Rwanda, Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted Turkey would respond "through all kinds of diplomatic means."

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks as their Empire collapsed, an event many international experts regard as genocide and that France recognized as such in 2001. Turkish leaders reject the term, arguing that the toll is inflated, that there were deaths on both sides and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

On Dec. 22, the lower house of French Parliament will debate a proposal that would make denying that the massacre was genocide punishable by up to a year in prison and euro45,000 ($58,500) in fines, putting it on par with Holocaust denial, which was banned in the country in 1990.

Erdogan lashed out at France during a joint news conference with Mustafa Abdul-Jalil ? the chairman of Libya's National Transitional Council ? saying there were reports that France was responsible for the deaths of 45,000 people in Algeria in 1945 and for the massacre of up to 800,000 people in Rwanda in 1994.

"No historian, no politician can see genocide in our history," Erdogan said. "Those who do want to see genocide should turn around and look at their own dirty and bloody history."

"The French National Assembly should shed light on Algeria, it should shed light on Rwanda," he said, in his first news conference since recovering from surgery three weeks ago.

France had troops in Rwanda, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused the country of doing little to stop the country's genocide.

There was no immediate reaction from France. Ties between the two countries are already strained by French President Nicolas Sarkozy's opposition to Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

Erdogan's criticism comes a day after an official said the Turkish leader had written to Sarkozy warning of grave consequences if the Armenian genocide bill is adopted. A Turkish diplomat said Turkey would withdraw its ambassador to France is the law is passed.

"I hope that the (French Parliament) steps back from the error of misrepresenting history and of punishing those who deny the historic lies," Erdogan said. "Turkey will stand against this intentional, malicious, unjust and illegal attempt through all kinds of diplomatic means."

Erdogan called the proposed bill a "populist" act, suggesting it was aimed at winning the votes of Armenian-French in elections in France next year.

A Turkish parliamentary delegation is scheduled to travel to France on Sunday to lobby French legislators against the bill.

Turkey has long argued that parliaments should not be left the task of deciding whether the killings constituted genocide, insisting on the creation of a joint independent committee of historians to look into the events that started in 1915.

Several countries have recognized the killings as genocide, including Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Russia, Canada, Lebanon, Belgium, Greece, Italy, the Vatican, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania and Cyprus.

In 2007, a Swiss court convicted a Turkish politician under its anti-racism law and fined him for denying that the killings of Armenians was genocide. The case caused diplomatic tensions between Switzerland and Turkey.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey_france_genocide

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Cantor pledges to expand STOCK act (Politico)

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor says he?ll push for broad action early next year to crack down on alleged congressional corruption and make sure lawmakers don?t profit from inside information.

In an interview excerpt released Friday, Cantor says the measure will expand on the STOCK Act ? legislation explicitly banning congressional insider trading that?s rapidly gained traction on both sides of Capitol Hill since a ?60 Minutes? report in November highlighted the practice.

Continue Reading

?We want to make sure the public understands we abhor that kind of conduct,? Cantor said in the interview, also on ?60 Minutes,? which will air Sunday.

Last week, Cantor pressured House Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus to abruptly cancel a committee markup on the STOCK Act. Cantor, the House?s No. 2 Republican, privately told Bachus ? who had been a major target of the ?60 Minutes? probe ? that he should not have moved forward on the bill without clearing it with GOP leaders in the lower chamber.

House Democratic backers of the STOCK Act ? who were thrilled to see committee action on the legislation, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) in particular ? were left peeved by Cantor?s behind-the-scenes moves to halt the bill from moving forward, and wrote a letter to Cantor asking him to reconsider.

In the ?60 Minutes? interview, Cantor gave some hints as to how the broader package would build on the STOCK Act, which focuses on stock trades. For example, Cantor said government officials with access to inside information could unfairly profit from land sales.

?It is to expand the notion that somehow it?s only stock purchases and trading that is somehow the only thing that could potentially go wrong,? he said.

The measure could come as early as the first couple of months of 2012, Cantor indicated.

Little known before the news investigation, the STOCK Act ? short for ?Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act? ? has now grown to 237 co-sponsors in the House. In the upper chamber, its companion legislation cleared a Senate panel earlier this week.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1211_70581_html/43933634/SIG=11mlg2i66/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70581.html

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NYC protesters to mark 3 months of Occupy (AP)

NEW YORK ? Protesters plan to mark three months of Occupy Wall Street with speeches and performances at a church-owned lot that was the scene of arrests last month.

The event at Duarte Square at Sixth Avenue and Canal Street is scheduled for noon Saturday. The protests against economic inequality began Sept. 17 with the occupation of Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. Protesters were cleared out of Zuccotti on Nov. 15 and are no longer allowed to sleep there.

The fenced-in Duarte Square property is owned by Trinity Wall Street church. Church officials say they support the protesters but the property is not available to be occupied. Twenty-two protesters and journalists were arrested there after Zuccotti was cleared on Nov. 15.

Occupy Wall Street's press team says protesters may occupy the property Saturday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_re_us/us_occupy_new_york

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Stocks higher after upbeat economic news

By Reuters

U.S. stocks were higher Thursday as signs of strength in the economy and higher-than-expected profit at FedEx outweighed a stark warning from the IMF about inaction over Europe's debt crisis.

Trading was volatile before Friday's quadruple witching expiration when not only equity options expire, but also stock index futures, stock index options and individual stock futures.

Stocks pared some of their gains after Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, said the world economic outlook is "quite gloomy" and will require action by all countries to head off an escalating crisis that carries risks of a global depression.

But investors were cheered by the latest data that suggested the U.S. economy was showing modest growth.

Applications for unemployment insurance fell to a 3-1/2 year low, while a gauge of New York state manufacturing activity rose to its highest level since May and a separate measure of factory activity in the mid-Atlantic region showed a surge in new orders.

The market's gains were concentrated in defensive sectors such as utilities, suggesting uncertainty was causing risk-takers to put their portfolios in neutral as the week draws to an end, said Chad Morganlander, portfolio manager at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co in Florham Park, New Jersey.

"Unfortunately austerity without a plan for structural changes will cap economic growth and potentially could bleed into earnings. Going into the new year, portfolio managers are squaring their books for that scenario," Morganlader said. "There's a continued rotation into safety and stability in a global austerity environment."

FedEx Corp shares shot up 7.2 percent to $82.87 after the package delivery company, seen as a bellwether of economic activity, reported stronger-than-expected quarterly profit.

The news from FedEx was welcome after a number of high-profile companies warned about revenues and profits in recent days. On Thursday, Honeywell International said Europe's slowing economy would take a toll on orders. But Honeywell's stock rose 1.2 percent to $52.16 after it forecast profit in line with expectations.

On Wednesday, Wall Street fell for a third day to its lowest level in two weeks with the market highly sensitive to developments in Europe.

Big-cap technology shares slipped, including Apple Inc off 0.2 percent to $379.33 and International Business machines, which fell 0.5 percent to $187.77.

Novellus Systems Inc jumped 17.3 percent to $40.72 a day after it agreed to be bought by larger rival Lam Research Corp for $3.3 billion in stock.

Michael Kors Holdings Ltd shares jumped in their debut on the New York Stock Exchange after the luxury goods company went public at $20 per share on Wednesday, above the expected range. Earlier Thursday, the stock climbed as much as 25 percent to a session high at $25.23.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/15/9474211-stocks-higher-after-upbeat-economic-news

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Gillmor Gang 12.17.11 (TCTV)

The Gillmor Gang ? Robert Scoble, Kevin Marks, John Taschek, and Steve Gillmor ? celebrate the freeing of Heather Harde, the health of realtime, the obsolescence of Office, and the gamification of deep enterprise apps. It never ceases to amaze how some people rescue defeat from the jaws of victory, but Techcrunch's loss of its business leader is our gain. As @scobleizer shows on his undulating realtime screens, Techcrunch past present and future continues to be at the bleeding edge of the social wave. Just as Microsoft continues to box itself into an innovation-free corner and give disruptive energy room to thrive, so too does AOL watch value flow from editorial through the technologies it uncrunched and onto the social mobile platform. As the crowd of another era shouted, the whole world is watching. The revolution will be streamed.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/o6nhmuwL5lw/

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Afghan woman, imprisoned over rape, is free

By NBC News and msnbc.com staff

Updated at 11:45 a.m. ET:

An Afghan woman who said she would marry her rapist in order to get out of jail, where she was serving a 12-year sentence for having sex out of wedlock, has been freed, her lawyer said Wednesday.

Kimberly Motley, the woman's American lawyer, told NBC News that she was released from prison late Tuesday.

---

"Gulnaz is relieved, and trying to slowly figure out her next step," Motley said of the woman, who goes by only one name.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai pardoned her last week after she said she would marry her rapist - her cousin's husband.

In an interview with NBC News last week, Gulnaz said she had agreed to the marriage "even though I can't look at him."

CNN reported Wednesday that Gulnaz was in a women's shelter in Kabul with her daughter Moskan, who was born in prison as the result of the rape.

Her plight was highlighted in a documentary blocked by the European Union because it feared the women profiled in it would be endangered by its release.

"This case represents the bigger picture for Afghan women," Motley told NBC Wednesday. "The justice system is trying to correct what went wrong in the first place. The bigger picture is not to prosecute rape victims, and that is a major step and progress in the Afghan justice system."

NBC News producer Kiko Itasaka and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

Read more content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/14/9441129-report-afghan-woman-imprisoned-over-rape-is-free

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