kalapant901: 2012

Friday 19 October 2012

Is McDonald's going over to the?light side? Find out ... - Health Blog

Is it true? Is McDonald?s, the company tarred and chicken-nugget feathered with Morgan Spurlock?s 2004 documentary Super Size Me (about the deleterious effects of 30 days of eating McDonald?s food had on his health) and the very same company that faced (and overcame) the prospect of a class-action lawsuit in California for including toys in its Happy Meals (because the toys were said to be enticing kids to eat unhealthy food), moving from the dark side of American nutrition to the light?

One thing?s for sure. McDonald?s wants to be seen as part of the solution to our rising obesity crisis and not as part of the problem any more. To that end, you can check out a ?Good Food, Good People, Good Neighbors? program, featuring healthy food, an exercise class, face painting and music at a North Texas McDonald?s.?It?s all happening ?Friday, Oct. 19 from 4-7 p.m. at the McDonald?s at 7233 John Carpenter Freeway in Dallas.

Franchise owner and operator Billie Hawkins plans to highlight the restaurant?s commitment to health and nutrition by showing?how food at the restaurant is prepared, how the company uses local vendors to provide fresh produce and ways that the company is committed to providing healthier food options, from new salads and grilled chicken items on the menu to a revamping of kids? Happy Meals to promote produce and low-fat dairy options. There?s ?a caloric and nutrition breakdown on each item, right down to the catsup packages, a commitment to reduce the amount of sugar and saturated fats and tips on how to make healthier choices.

One of the most intriguing ideas they?re offering is a chance to customize your meals. Among your options:

Ask for no salt on your fries

Big Mac ? ask to hold the medium bun and half the sauce

Hold the cheese on a 300-calorie Egg McMuffin to bring it down to 280 calories.

The company has been rolling out the new policy for a while now, with a ?Favorites Under 400 Calories? campaign that ran at the time of the Summer Olympics and a McDonalds.com meal option that shows you you can add or subtract calories from your meal (click on the Nutrition heading). They even have a new smartphone app that can give you calorie estimates.

So, what do you think? Does this change the way you think about McDonald?s as a food option for your family?

Kids will be encouraged to get apples and milk with their nuggets instead of fries and soda in the new Happy Meal

Source: http://healthblog.dallasnews.com/2012/10/is-mcdonalds-going-over-to-the-light-side-find-out-friday-as-a-mcdonalds-healthy-fun-and-games-event.html/

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Are You Stressed With Your Online Business?

As entrepreneurs we tend to push ourselves to the limits, and then beyond. We're driven and motivated, and we put all sorts of self-imposed deadlines and expectations on ourselves.

I'm sitting here at my desk looking at my endless task list. Actually, multiple task lists and tons of notes and ideas. I'm sure you can relate and have the same staring you in the face too.

Over the years I've discovered that I experience two very different types of stress. There's positive stress and negative stress. Positive Stress is called Eustress and is based more on perception than circumstances. Good stress drives you forward with a higher level of motivation and determination, unlike DIStress which can seriously hinder your creativity and productivity - and overall sense of well-being...

"Selye argued that persistent stress that is not resolved through coping or adaptation should be known as distress, and may lead to anxiety, withdrawal, and depressive behavior. In contrast, if stress enhances one's functioning it may be considered eustress. Both can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a person's way of adapting to the stressor that caused it." source

Sometimes all it takes is a simple shift in mindset to turn distress into eustress. Good stress can be a very positive thing, so it's worth exploring ways to ignite that positive response to stressors that might otherwise cause you to shut down in fear or anxiety.

The first step is to analyze your own individual way of dealing with different types of stress. We all handle things differently, so there is no one size fits all solution.

Just as one example, I know that I am more alert and productive in the early morning hours. I tend to get stressed and frustrated if I try to work on creative projects in the afternoon. So it only makes sense for me to PLAN accordingly.

I've also discovered that I work VERY well under pressure. And it has to be a real deadline, not a self-imposed deadline. If I want to get my entire house clean in a matter of a few short hours, all I have to do is invite someone over for dinner.

Given we're all different, and usually respond to stress subconsciously and automatically (without thinking), it pays to become more aware of your typical responses - and start making conscious choices based on what works best for YOU.

It could be as simple as changing your routine or schedule to increase productivity, like I did after recognizing mornings were my most productive hours. Or you may choose to put REAL deadlines in place.

But just being more aware can have a dramatic affect on how you respond to stress. Stress can ramp you up, or it can shut you down. Stop and ask yourself WHY. Such as why you feel stressed, or why you respond to certain stresses in a particular way. Analyzing what distresses you, and what motivates you, can help you create more positive scenarios - and avoid more of the negatives.

You may have noticed I haven't been blogging in the last two weeks, which is not at all my norm. A few times I had a hit of anxiety over that, but I had to stop and just let it go. I decided nobody was out there holding their breath waiting for my next post (gosh, I hope not anyway! lol). It was a self-imposed expectation only, and not one I was going to allow to derail me or "get me stressed." Period.

Being aware is the first step to taking control. Life can throw all sorts of kinks in our day, from distractions to technical issues. The key is to just keep moving forward. Any progress you make is still PROGRESS. Celebrate what you accomplish instead of lamenting over what you didn't. Plan your day around your peak performance hours. Put motivators in place, and remove negative pressures.

I would love to hear how YOU deal with "stress" in your business, and how you stay motivated and productive day in and day out...

Best,

Source: http://www.clicknewz.com/5404/online-business-stress/

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Scientists confident moon born of colossal Earth collision that vaporized Zinc

Researchers examined rocks collected by astronauts during NASA's Apollo lunar landing missions, as well as a meteorite that originated on the moon to make the find.

By Jesse Emspak,?SPACE.com Contributor / October 17, 2012

This artist's conception of a planetary smashup whose debris was spotted by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope three years ago gives an impression of the carnage that would have been wrecked when a similar impact created Earth's Moon. A team at Washington University in St. Louis has uncovered evidence of this impact that scientists have been trying to find for more than 30 years.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Enlarge

Water on the moon boiled away in massive quantities in a cataclysmic evaporation event during ??the moon's birth, bolstering the theory that a Mars-sized body collided with the Earth to form its only natural satellite, scientists say.

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Researchers examined rocks collected by astronauts during NASA's Apollo lunar landing missions, as well as a meteorite that originated on?the moon?to make the find. They looked for traces of zinc, and found the ratios of heavy to light isotopes are greater than on Earth, which suggests the moon went through an intense evaporation event early in its formation.

The study is more evidence for the theory that the?moon formed from a colossal impact, researchers said.

Early in the?moon's formation, the surface was hot enough to vaporize zinc ? and a giant impact is one of the few things that would generate that much heat. Another prediction of the theory is that heavier isotopes would be more common, because they would condense at a higher temperature.

"What we found is that the depletion [of lighter isotopes] of Zinc is probably due to evaporation," said study co-author Fr?d?ric Moynier, assistant professor of Earth and planetary sciences at the Washington University in St. Louis. [How the Moon Formed (Video)]

Zinc on the moon

Moynier, study lead author Randal Paniello and James Day of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, found that the ratio of zinc-66 to zinc-64 in moon rocks is about three to four times greater than either Earth or Mars. On the Earth and Mars respectively, it is 0.25 to 0.27 parts per thousand. On the moon, it was a difference of 1.3 to 1.4 parts per thousand.

Almost all the samples collected from the moon had similar ratios of heavier to light isotopes, even though they came from very different places all over the moon. (One sample came from a meteorite that originated there).

The team also measured the effect in tektites, which are pebble-sized rocks formed by meteor impacts. They found the same thing: The tektites were also depleted in zinc-64 relative to ordinary Earth rocks.

The high temperatures imply the water vaporized. That would also point to a depletion of other volatiles ? elements such as hydrogen, chlorine, sulfur, which vaporize at relatively low temperatures.

Searching for moon water

However, several studies show water present in some lunar rocks.

Recent missions like NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite revealed?evidence of moon water?in 2009. India's Chandrayaan-1 found hydroxyl, an oxygen-hydrogen compound that makes water when bonded to another hydrogen atom.

How much water and other volatiles the moon has is a key question for plans of future lunar exploration by astronauts. Advocates of a "wet moon" say that the lunar mantle may have big stores of those chemicals. But other scientists think the volatiles are mostly in the top layers of lunar soil, brought in by impacts and generally dating from after the moon's formation.

"[The results] show that all this water they found on the face of the moon is secondary water," Moynier said.

Water and volatiles are probably from impacts and the solar wind, Moynier said. The studies showing volatiles in the volcanic glass might be showing local areas that are enriched, relative to the rest of the moon, he added.

Denton Ebel, curator of meteorites at the American Museum of Natural History, noted that there is evidence of?seismic activity on the moon?and evidence of hydrogen-bearing rocks at the moon's interior. Ebel was not involved it he study.

There is also a heat source at?the center of the moon. That would point to some volatiles and water being there. But the new research seems to show a moon-spanning mine of water and other volatiles is less likely.

"The dry moon is dead, but the wet moon is not alive," he said.

Ebel noted that the isotope study confirms a prediction of the impact theory of the moon's formation. There are still a lot of questions, though. For example, the moon's composition is broadly similar to the Earth's mantle ? as the impact theory predicts. But the Earth's mantle is depleted in potassium, and the moon's should look the same. It doesn't.

The study also shows how important it is to get samples, Ebel said.

Without the Apollo moon rocks and lunar meteorites, gathered mostly from Antarctica, it would be harder to test the impact theory at all, since the evidence comes from direct chemical analysis. ?

The research is detailed in the Oct. 18 edition of the journal Nature.

Follow SPACE.com on Twitter?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/szOSft_oNEM/Scientists-confident-moon-born-of-colossal-Earth-collision-that-vaporized-Zinc

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The Sticking Power of Tape Storage in the Age of Big Data ? Data ...

Brian Truskowski is the General Manager of IBM System Storage and Networking, IBM Systems and Technology Group. He is responsible for strategy, product development, marketing, sales support, and program profitability for IBM?s storage and networking businesses.

Sometimes perception really is reality. And such is the case with Big Data.

According to researchers at IDC, more than 1.8 zettabytes of digital information was generated around the world in 2011 ? a number that grew by a factor of nine in just five years, and one that is expected to double every two years going forward. Whether you view it in practical terms (data volumes), or the abstract (insights derived from those volumes) ? the perceptions that Big Data is big and a growing concern for organizations large and small are real.

How the industry and the world reached this point is a long and varied story, filled with innumerable inventors and innovators, wizards of business and finance, and a market place hungry for better, faster, and affordable technology.

But if we were tasked to identify a point in history that served as a moment that changed the direction of computer systems, it?d be hard to argue against the significance of the first magnetic tape storage system.

While there was a great deal of experimentation going on in the early days of the computer industry ? and while there have been a great number of innovations since ? it?s fair to say that the digital storage industry as we know it today would not have occurred without an innovation created by a team of IBM engineers 60 years ago. The innovation enabled the massive calculating machines of the day to save their results digitally on reels of magnetic tape instead of on punch cards, creating entirely new ways to view and gain insight from, digital information.

Challenges of Storage

To understand the value of this innovation, it?s important to remember that during the 1940s and 50s calculating and processing wasn?t the challenge any longer, but rather storing the results of the calculations. During those early years, the only recordable techniques for the massive calculating systems involved ?physical media? ? hard copy books, paper, and punch cards. It was becoming clear that as these systems gained performance their storage solutions were not sustainable.

IBM engineers turned to a newer technology of the day, magnetic tape, for answers. The technology, which had been used to capture audio, held promise for the hulking computing systems, but was just not durable enough. When large reels of it were applied for capturing the computer data, the tape drives? powerful motors, which abruptly started and stopped, easily snapped the tape.

Magnetic Tape Improvements

IBM engineers tackled the breakage problem head-on. And on May 21, 1952, when the company released its first production computer, the IBM 701, it also released an accompanying storage system that represented a breakthrough in magnetic tape. The IBM 726 was a 935-pound floor-standing behemoth that solved the breakage problem through the use of a ?vacuum column? which created a buffer of loose tape between starts and stops. This U-shaped loop of loose tape allowed the tape to better absorb the extremely fast starts and stops of the system.

The vacuum column innovation was not only a success, but it was adopted by most high-performance tape drive manufacturers, making it one of the most widely used computer technologies of the 20th century. The technology became so prevalent that the image of the start and stop, reel-to-reel tape system, became the iconic, albeit unofficial, image that would symbolize the ?computer? for an entire generation in news and entertainment.

Researchers Still Pushing Boundaries

Today, magnetic tape technologies and processes have advanced to truly astounding levels. For example, back in 1952, our IBM 726 had a capacity of 2.3MB. A single tape cartridge today can hold up to 4TB, or about two million times the capacity. One of the reasons for that kind of jump is the great work that has been done over the years, and continues unabated in research facilities around the globe. In 2009, for example, scientists at IBM Research in Zurich broke the magnetic tape density record by recording data onto an advanced prototype tape at a density of 29.5 billion bits per square inch (See this ?YouTube video?for details). This kind of advance could lead to a single tape cartridge holding as much as 35TB of uncompressed data.

Other advances like IBM Linear Tape File System (LTFS) which brought dramatic ease of use capabilities to tape management, such as drag-and-drop, and the tagging of files for more intuitive searching, among other things, have led organizations like T3Media to turn to tape to tackle Big Data. T3Media (formerly Thought Equity Motion) is a provider of cloud-based video management and licensing services that has more than 10 million hours of content under management. In addition to turning to tape for capacity, LTFS management, and reliability, T3Media is also saving considerable costs due to tape?s inherent energy savings. Unlike spinning hard drives, which must remain powered on, tape systems only power up when activated, and as a result offer a much lower carbon footprint.

Tape Playing Renewed Role

The challenges of 2012 are not what they were in 1952. Today, game-changing dynamics such as social media, mobile computing, regulation, and yes, Big Data, are all intersecting to create a digital traffic jam of epic proportions. By some accounts, the amount of information needed to be digitally stored will exceed 8 zettabytes by 2015. These trends and forecasts are forcing every industry to look at their storage infrastructures more carefully than ever before. And for many, tape is playing a significant, strategic and renewed role.

But to be sure, the businesses that succeed will be those that leverage the most strategic storage technologies available ? from advanced tape to solid state, and from virtualization to the cloud ? to increase efficiency, minimize risk, lower costs, improve access, and strengthen security. It will also be those that exploit solutions that offer greater data classification, because not all data is created equal nor does it maintain the same relevance over time.

That is the path to this new frontier of storage, this new era of smarter computing, including smarter storage.

Industry Perspectives is a content channel at Data Center Knowledge highlighting thought leadership in the data center arena. See our guidelines and submission process for information on participating. View previously published Industry Perspectives in our Knowledge Library.

Source: http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2012/10/19/the-sticking-power-of-tape-storage-in-the-age-of-big-data/

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Thursday 18 October 2012

Romney imprecise in criticism of 'Fast and Furious' (CNN)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/256296902?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Chinese auto parts maker vows to top Johnson deal for A123

WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - A lawyer for Chinese auto parts maker Wanxiang Group Corp said on Thursday it plans to make a superior bid for the battery business of A123 Systems than what a U.S. company has offered.

Wanxiang intends to bid at the auction for A123, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, Bojan Guzina said at a court hearing in Delaware. The Chinese company also plans to fight Johnson Controls Inc for the role of initial bidder for A123, the attorney said.

A123, a maker of lithium-ion batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles, declared bankruptcy amid a backdrop of quality-control problems and a disappointing market for electric vehicles. The company had won a $249 million U.S. government grant in 2009.

Wanxiang has been pursuing A123 for months. The bankruptcy came after a $465 million rescue deal by the Chinese company unraveled after the U.S. battery maker was unable to meet some conditions of the agreement.

"My client feels it has been left at the altar a couple of times," Guzina, a lawyer for law firm Sidley Austin, which represents Wanxiang, said in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington.

A123 entered bankruptcy with an agreement to sell its automotive operations, including two factories in Michigan, to Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls for $125 million.

But that deal is subject to a court-supervised auction, and Wanxiang plans to contest Johnson Controls as the initial bidder -- or "stalking horse" -- in the sale process. Funds raised in the auction will go to repaying A123's creditors.

"We believe our stalking horse proposal will be materially better than Johnson Controls'," Guzina said.

A spokesman for Johnson Controls did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Judge Kevin Carey, who welcomed competitive bidding for A123, is scheduled to rule on the initial bidder on October 30.

"It's nice that the debtor has become the popular girl at the dance with at least two bidders, maybe more," he said.

A123 also has attracted bidders for its non-automotive operations, which includes grid storage batteries.

Wanxiang must receive approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the government of China to acquire A123. The Chinese company will submit its proposals next week, Guzina said.

The A123 bankruptcy has quickly became politicized with less than four weeks before the U.S. presidential election. Republican candidate Mitt Romney said the government grant awarded to A123 was an example of the Obama administration "gambling away billions of taxpayer dollars."

The White House has allotted about $90 billion for various clean-energy programs as part of its economic stimulus plans.

Obama campaign spokesman Adam Fletcher said this week that the investments helped to more than double renewable energy production from wind and solar, "creating good-paying jobs and bringing manufacturing back to our shores."

Wanxiang arrived in court armed with its own proposed bankruptcy loan, known as a debtor-in-possession (DIP) loan, to counter the financing Johnson Controls arranged with A123. Carey approved on an interim basis the Johnson Controls loan after concessions were made to bring it in line with Wanxiang's proposal.

DIP loans often place stringent requirements on a bankrupt company, such as ordering asset auctions on tight deadlines. The loans give a lender influence over the outcome of a case.

Guzina said Wanxiang would seek to replace the Johnson Controls DIP loan at the October 30 hearing, when A123 will also seek final approval for its bankruptcy finance.

The attorney also said Wanxiang wants to extend the bidding period for the battery maker's business closer to the end of the year, compared to A123's proposed auction on November 19. Given the time it needs for approvals, Wanxiang has an interest in slowing down the bidding process.

The case is A123 Systems Inc, Delaware Bankruptcy Court, No. 12-12859.

(Reporting By Tom Hals; Editing by Martha Graybow and Phil Berlowitz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-auto-parts-maker-vows-top-johnson-deal-233815501--finance.html

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MiniFlame Drops Cyberbombs on High-Value Targets

Security researchers have identified a new offshoot of the notorious Flame espionage malware. The malware, called "miniFlame," creates a backdoor in the systems that it infects. That backdoor can then be used by an attacker to gain access an infected machine. The attacker can then write files to the compromised computer, snatch files from it or snap screenshots of its display.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/24966dd5/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C764140Bhtml/story01.htm

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Wednesday 17 October 2012

Belkin's WeMo Baby Monitor Turns Your iPhone Into a Nanny [Parenting]

Click here to read Belkin's WeMo Baby Monitor Turns Your iPhone Into a Nanny

We weren't exactly blown away with Belkin's WeMo home automation system, but for just $90 its new Wi-Fi enabled WeMo Baby sounds like an affordable way to keep tabs on your kids. It turns your iOS devices into portable baby monitors that work anywhere on earth—at least anywhere you have a mobile internet connection. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8MC5Dk23Iyo/belkins-wemo-baby-monitor-turns-your-iphone-into-a-nanny

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Apple Acquires Web App Startup Particle, Retains Several Developers To Work At Cupertino

It looks like Apple acquired Justin Timberlake-backed web apps company Particle last month -- maker of social video service robo.to, and a design UI/UX and HTML5 web app consultancy whose clients include Google, Motorola, Sony and Zynga. CNET called the acquisition today, citing "sources with knowledge of the deal". There's no word on the acquisition price.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ynZPIQpD2Ac/

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Interactive graphic: Legislative races in 2012 election (Star Tribune)

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Tuesday 16 October 2012

Liam Neeson Rules Box Office Again With 'Taken 2'

Ben Affleck's critically acclaimed 'Argo' came in a close second with a $20.1 million debut.
By Ryan J. Downey

Liam Neeson in "Taken 2"
Photo: M6 Films

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1695520/taken-2-argo-weekend-box-office-results.jhtml

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Mortgage comeback? Citigroup isn't so sure

In this Oct. 6, 2012, photo, a Citibank logo is shown in the window of one of the bank's offices in New York. Citigroup reported earnings Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, that beat analysts' expectations, after stripping out one-time items like a big write-down it had to take because it got less money than it had hoped when it negotiated to sell its stake in its retail brokerage. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

FILE - This Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, shows a Citibank branch in New York. Citigroup reported earnings Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, that beat analysts' expectations, after stripping out one-time items like a big write-down it had to take because it got less money than it had hoped when it negotiated to sell its stake in its retail brokerage. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Citigroup isn't as enthusiastic as its peers about a comeback in the housing market.

On Friday, executives at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase declared that the long-struggling market had turned a corner. On Monday, Citigroup's top number-cruncher said he wasn't so sure.

In a conference call with reporters after the bank released its quarterly earnings, chief financial officer John Gerspach cautioned that recent history is littered with upturns in the housing market that proved short-lived.

He said that despite a few signs of stabilization in the housing market, there are "still some rather significant challenges to be faced." He warned against predictions with the uncertain presidential election and federal budget still casting a shadow.

"I don't use phrases like 'turn the corner,'" Gerspach said, referring to statements Friday from JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and Wells Fargo finance chief Tim Sloan. "I have difficulty seeing corners sometimes, so I'm not sure what corner we may have turned."

"There's still a question in my mind about whether we've got a strong enough economy to continue sustaining the housing market," he added.

Citigroup reported earnings that beat analysts' expectations, after stripping out one-time items like a big write-down it had to take because it got less money than it had hoped when it negotiated to sell its stake in its retail brokerage.

Investors were pleased with the results and sent the stock up more than 4 percent, rising $1.55 to $36.30 in afternoon trading.

Citigroup said that revenue was helped by mortgage refinancing, the same as at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan. Some of that business, however, is fueled by government programs to encourage refinancing. And the banks don't expect the refinancing boom to continue once interest rates start to rise, which could be as early as next year.

Mortgage originations jumped 56 percent at Wells Fargo and 29 percent at JPMorgan compared with a year ago. At Citi, they fell 15 percent.

Mortgages, and the securities they were bundled into, were a scourge during the financial crisis, felling storied financial institutions that made loans that were too risky or bet that securities made of subprime mortgages would keep rising.

The banks' mortgage units are still a magnet for lawsuits and regulatory charges. In August, Citigroup agreed to settle lawsuits from shareholders who said the bank didn't properly warn them of its exposure to risky subprime debt.

Citigroup also reported Monday that it had to set aside more money in case it has to buy back more mortgages from investors who bought them in the run-up to the financial crisis, and now feel ripped off. Gerspach said the bank was seeing "increased activity" in so-called repurchase demands from Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage giant.

Overall, the bank trimmed about 2 percent of its jobs, dropping to 262,000 employees from 267,000. It spent less on advertising and marketing, but more on technology and communication.

Citigroup is still trying to patch its reputation after the financial crisis nearly brought it to collapse. After years of empire-building, the bank has been selling units and trying to become more efficient and more manageable.

CEO Vikram Pandit is still an ardent defender of the big-bank model, even though the former CEO, Sandy Weill, went on CNBC in July and said big banks should be broken up. It was a surprising change of heart for the dealmaker who built Citi into a behemoth.

Citi also has to figure out how to pay top executives without alienating its shareholders. Citi paid Pandit nearly $15 million for 2011, about half in option awards, but shareholders in the spring said they disagreed with the payout.

Gerspach declined to comment on how the bank might change executive pay next year, saying that was the board's purview.

Excluding one-time items, net income was $3.3 billion. That amounted to $1.06 per share, beating the 96 cents predicted by analysts polled by financial data provider FactSet. Analyst predictions generally exclude one-time charges and gains.

Revenue, excluding the special charges, was $19.4 billion. That beat expectations of $18 billion.

The bank wrote down $4.7 billion after agreeing to sell its portion of retail brokerage Morgan Stanley Smith Barney for less than it had hoped. Including that and other one-time charges, net income was $455 million, and revenue was $14 billion.

Without the special charges, net income and revenue were both up. With them, net income and revenue were down significantly.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-10-15-Earns-Citigroup/id-1188621ff97c4d498174fd36feec62e8

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Honor Flight South Carolina took more than 80 WWII veterans to Washington, DC to see the WWII Memorial

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Source: http://www2.counton2.com/news/2012/oct/14/honor-flight-south-carolina-took-more-80-wwii-vete-ar-4754075/

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Monday 15 October 2012

The Release of Porsche Panamera Sport Tourismo - Set to Redefine the Design for Hybrid Performance Sports Cars

WEBWIRE ? Monday, October 15, 2012

Porsche has just unveiled their latest design wonder, the Porsche Panamera Hybrid, in this year?s Paris Motor Show. The release of this new hybrid vehicle has created a buzz in the automobile community all across the globe. Atlanta based video channel Porsche in Atlanta has reviewed all the features and specifications of the latest model from Porsche in an unbiased point of view to inform Porsche enthusiasts about this new car. According to their report, the Porsche Panamera Hybrid Concept has a new ?E-Hybrid? system equipped with a 95 HP electric motor and a 333 HP supercharged, 3.0 liter V6. According to the manufacturer, the combined power train is capable of 0-62 miles/hour in less than six seconds and can run at over 80 miles/hour on electric power.??
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The excellent green capability of Porsche Panamera Sport Tourismo is one of the most noteworthy points about it, according to Porsche in Atlanta. With a carbon dioxide emission rate of less than 82g/km and fuel consumption of 3.5 liters for each 100 km, it certainly has all the features to emerge as the world?s favorite ?green? sports car in the years to come. This new model from Porsche retains the basic features of the previous Panamera and adds new features resembling a wagon and the new 911. Squared off four pack LED lights, beautifully designed lift gate, and a sharper roofline would certainly please the Porsche connoisseurs, reports Porsche in Atlanta.?? ?????
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In reference to the significance of Porsche Panamera Concept Paris Auto Show, the owner and founder of Porsche in Atlanta, Damon Greene said: ?For those that demand the best in comfort, sport, and performance, this hybrid Porsche will more than impress. Where else can you get the performance of Porsche, comfort of a luxury sedan, help offset carbon emissions, and great mileage? This new Panamera is sure to be a winner once it gets into production.?
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About Porsche in Atlanta:
Porsche in Atlanta is a video channel featuring the latest Porsche news, reviews, and videos. The channel focuses on all Porsche models and provides metro Atlanta Porsche enthusiasts direct access to dealers for a test drive and purchase. Visit: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpSskeisyJNB12XMfQeN28eUuq-v4LM2u ?

Related Links: Porsche Enthusiast News & Updates

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?: Porsche Panamera Atlanta; Porsche In Atlanta; Porsche for Sale Atlanta; Used Porsche Atlanta; Used Porsche Panamera

Contact Information: D. Greene; Curator; Porsche In Atlanta Video Channel; (1) 404-620-0586; Contact via E-mail

This news content may be integrated into any legitimate news gathering and publishing effort. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.

Source: http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=162602

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T.I. Is A Troublemaker in ?Ball? With Lil Wayne: Listen | Music News ...

Little by little, T.I.?s been dropping some hints there, a music video there to build anticipation for his eighth album Trouble Man. The latest: a bouncing club anthem about, well, bouncing into the club.

In ?Ball,? produced by Rico Love and Earl & E, T.I. boasts of showing up with a ?bad bitch, looking like Aaliyah? while Lil Wayne promises to ?fire my blunt like Donald Trump? ? so, no surprises there. However, photos from the ?Ball? music video shoot reveal scenes of a far more modest affair: reclining in the backyard, drifting on motorcycles and grilling meats on a shopping cart.

Random? Not exactly. In an interview with Fuse, T.I. explained the rationale behind his ?Go Get It? music video, which featured the Atlanta rapper poolside at both a mansion and in a far more modest neighborhood. ?I think it?s very important to see that money doesn?t change the person ? it changes what surrounds the person,? Tip said.

The music video is set to drop October 22. Trouble Man is out December 18.

[Via Rap Dose]

What do you think of T.I.?s new single? Let us know in the comments, or on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: http://idolator.com/7145191/ti-lil-wayne-ball

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YogiPlay?s New Parent Center App Helps Parents Find Quality, Educational Apps For Kids

Menlo Park-based?YogiPlay, the educational-focused recommendation service for children's apps, is today?announcing?its "Parent Center" app is available across all major mobile platforms, including iOS, Google Play, Kindle and Nook. The company, backed by $1 million in venture funding,?introduced its app rating system called "YogiMeter" earlier this summer, with plans to further integrate those ratings into its online and mobile offerings at a later date. However, its parent-facing iOS app had been held up in Apple's approval queue until now.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Q5lc0C8kW78/

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Sunday 14 October 2012

Ladies Getting Real about Relationships

Courtesy of Signs He Likes Me

Last night was incredible. Our chemistry was like magic and I cannot wait to go out again. I think he could be the one. Typical story right? Well flash forward two days and has your date from the other night called you yet? Are you trying to replay the night, analyzing everything he said and did? Well he probably lost his phone. Or maybe you?re too accomplished for him and he feels threatened? Or he?s probably just playing the game and waiting to call you. WRONG! Why do women tell each other these lies? The truth is He?s Just Not That Into You. This movie featuring Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long, should be like a bible that instructs women through dating. The book He?s Just Not That Into You defines the idea that if he is interested he is going to call. So why is that so much easier to admit than accept?

Courtesy of Allie Jones

?1)?? Romantic comedies have poisoned our thoughts

The Ugly Truth, What?s Your Number?, Just Friends, 27 Dresses, Crazy, Stupid, Love., Clueless, Breakfast at Tiffany?s, The Proposal and I could keep going on for days naming more movies where a man and a woman look like they are never going to end up together but then they go through some struggle and sooner of later they fall in love and live happily ever after. No matter what they always end up together and usually we enjoy watching them beat the impossible circumstances to come together. But for women these movies trick us into thinking unrealistic relationships work. These ideas have been instilled in this generation since Disney. But when we take a step back we need to remember magic doesn?t exist. Ariel, in The Little Mermaid, would have never been with Eric had she remained a mermaid. Rom-Coms also emphasize the chase.

2)?? We love the chase

Courtesy of ?I Want Closure / Relationship Blog and Dating Advice for Women and their Dysfunctional Relationships?

Romantic Comedies tend to focus on the ?Chase? factor. The guy doesn?t like the girl so she plays games, changes her self to fit his type, or my personal favorite she goes after the bad boy to change him and be the exception to the rule. The chase is the fun and dramatic part of the relationship where it is all about making the other person want you but making them work for your affection.? It is also the time when there are the most rules such as who calls who first. The chase is all about proving you?re good enough to catch. However one key thing you need to know which can change the whole game is?

3)?? We do not understand what?s going on in a man?s head

Not all men are as complicated and as judgmental as Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey. Men are not judging how well our shoes match our necklaces and they do not really know the difference between Clinique and Revlon. They are simpler than we make them out to be. ?If a girl gives me her number that?s cool because it means she can be assertive, but typically if it?s a girl I am interested in I?ll give her my number or I?ll get her?s somehow? said Alex, a senior fraternity member at the University of Southern California. ?Games get old,? said Alex. Women always over think what men say but we need to think on their level. The obvious level. But why is this hard?

4)?? We biologically become more attached in relationships than men

Due to our body chemistry, we become more emotional, compassionate, and more attached in a relationship than men. ?We just have higher levels of estrogen and while yes, we can get emotional, estrogen also makes us more compassionate than our testosterone-fueled counterparts? (A New Mode) Women also release a hormone called Oxytocin in large amounts during sex which gives us that ?warm fuzzy feeling that only a strong connection can bring.? Our body is sending signals to our brain that we want connection so we convince ourselves we want to be in a relationship.

I am not anti-relationships and I do not mean to tear your romantic dreams apart, but as someone who has experienced heart ache and has been blinded by love waiting for hours to get that text or phone call, I have come to realize it?s not worth it. If he feels the same way as I do he?ll contact me. My theater teacher told our class that, ?you are most attractive when you are focusing on something else and immersed in that.? As far as I am concerned, that statement is brilliant. Things happen when you?re not expecting them and not looking for them. Based on his wisdom, this is how I am approaching relationship from this point forward?

1)?? Breathe

If this relationship is not going to work out, it will not be the end of the world.

2)?? Take Your Time

Patience is key. If you two are both ready, you?ll know. You have time so don?t rush things. This will help you make sure your on the same page and this will also help you realize what you want.

Courtesy?of David Wygant

3)?? Make a Move

I do not mean jump the other person when you see them. I mean let them know you?re interested but be cool about it. ?You?re a really cool guy, we should hang out sometime.? It can really be that simple. The truth is he may not know where you stand and a little nudge could be all he needs to realize that. Also by putting yourself a little out there you?re going to find out if you should pursue anything or not so this will save you time.

4)?? Focus on You

Make sure you?re happy with you first. When you are confident and happy with who ?you are people notice that. If you focus on yourself and what you love, you will be ready when love comes along.

5)?? Broaden Your Movie Taste

It?s not healthy to just watch Rom-Coms.

6)?? Seek Relationship Advice

There are tons of magazines that can help you learn how a man thinks and what women who are in your position do to get out of their rut, Cosmopolitan is my favorite. You can also take your questions online, like Nikki said in her blog, Single & Ready to Mingle?Online; tons of people are finding love on the Internet. But what I would recommend is finding a BGF. A Best Guy Friend. He will be able to give you personal insights on the male brain and he may even give you some pointers on how to break into the male heart.

I am by no means an expert on relationships but I have learned from my mistakes and so far this approach has been working for me. Do you have any tips to approaching relationships? Or do you have a Rom-Com that sticks out to you after reading this?

Tagged as: #Love, 27 Dresses, Breakfast at Tiffany?s, Clueless, Crazy, Drama, Fifty Shades of Grey, He?s Just Not That Into You, Just Friends, Men, relationships, Romantic Comedy, Stupid, The Proposal, The Ugly Truth, What?s Your Number?, women

Source: http://projectquinn.com/ladies-getting-real-about-relationships/

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S.Africa says "no evidence" for S&P concerns

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/africa-says-no-evidence-p-concerns-084401673--business.htmlthe firm new york philharmonic marines urinating on taliban critics choice awards super pac dre kirkpatrick mls superdraft

Give Your Technology Career A Jumpstart With IT Certifications

There are many good reasons to pursue IT certifications. People who are looking for a way to get started in the technology field can use entry level certifications to show that they have a base level of knowledge. Those who are already employed in the technology field may seek certification as an avenue to pursue a higher paying position. There is some difference of opinion about which certifications are the most helpful to one?s career.

The choice of certification should involve determining what one?s career goals are. One?s current experience level and skill set also plays a role in choosing which certification to pursue. A person that is seeking an entry level position should seek an entry level certification. Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA all offer entry level certifications. The vendor neutral certifications offered by CompTIA have some advantages because they are not tied to one single vendor. The Network+ certification would be an option for those seeking a career in networking. Security skills are sought after by many employers, making the Security+ certification another entry level certification that is beneficial for people entering the technology field.

For people with some experience, Microsoft has some good certifications to choose from. Because most companies use Microsoft products, it is important to have a good understanding of those products. Microsoft has many different certification paths. Programmers, system administrators, desktop support professionals, and help desk analysts all have their own certification tracks. The entry level certification for Microsoft is the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCST), which is achieved by passing any Microsoft exam. The next higher level of certification is the Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), which is achieved by passing between three and five exams, depending on the certification track that is chosen.

Security is becoming more important as threats against companies continue to increase. There are several different certifications from different vendors in the security field. The most respected of these is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). This certification requires two years of IT security experience as a prerequisite. The certification exam is a challenging exam that requires in-depth knowledge of IT security.

People interested in a career in the networking field should consider certifications by Cisco. The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNS) is Cisco?s entry level certification. It requires passing one exam to become certified. The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) is the next higher level of certification. It requires passing three exams. The CCNA and CCNP are well respected certifications that many employers require for their networking positions.

One of the more popular certifications for those who are beginning their career in technology is CompTIA?s A+ Certification. It requires passing two exams that cover the basics of computer hardware and operating systems. It provides a strong foundation to build upon with more advanced certifications. It is sought after by many employers because they know that A+ Certified individuals have the skills needed to begin as entry level technicians.

Some people ask why they should get certified at all. In today?s competitive job market, those who have certifications will have an edge over people who do not have certifications. Studying for a certification also increases ones knowledge level for a particular technology. Certification is not a replacement for real world experience. The best way to advance ones career is to combine IT certifications with real world experience on the job.

Knowledge Center Inc is a leading provider of information technology training courses. Computer training programs offered include CompTIA, Cisco,ITIL, CISSP, ISO20000 & Microsoft certification courses. Computer certification classes are held at KCI computer training center located at Ashburn, VA.

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/computersandtechnology/2012/10/14/give-your-technology-career-a-jumpstart-with-it-certifications/

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Analysis: Biden rekindles controversy over administration's Libya statements

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration's latest verbal bungle over the chain of events leading to the deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, rekindled the controversy over the incident on Friday and offered new ammunition to Republican opponents.

In Thursday night's vice presidential debate, Vice President Joe Biden insisted that "we weren't told they wanted more security" at the ill-fated U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, where U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens died.

Biden's statement, at least on the surface, appeared to contradict congressional testimony less than 48 hours earlier from State Department officials, and offered a fresh opening for Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney, who has repeatedly sought to attack the White House over the issue.

It was the latest example of a White House, which has long prided itself on "message discipline," flubbing its own message on the Libya attacks. President Barack Obama and his aides have struggled to explain why they first described the violence as growing out of protests over an anti-Muslim movie, only later to acknowledge it was an organized attack by militants.

In a written commentary the day before Biden spoke, prominent national security analyst Anthony Cordesman said the administration had "fumbled the situation by going into a state of confused denial" about Libya. The administration should also have made a stronger case for establishing on-the-scene diplomacy in a volatile environment such as post-Gaddafi Libya, he wrote.

Cordesman also said the Republicans had turned the Benghazi events into a "gotcha" contest where the president is somehow blamed for "largely local security decisions."

The White House was quick to defend Biden on Friday, saying he had been speaking only for himself and Obama - in other words, not for anyone else in the administration who might have heard about the dangers facing Americans in Libya's relatively lawless second city before Stevens and three other Americans were killed on the night of September 11.

Romney went back on the offensive on Friday, saying Biden had contradicted the sworn testimony of State Department officials. "He's doubling down on denial," Romney charged.

REPUBLICAN CRITICISM FIRST TARGETED RICE

Biden's "we did not know" comment fed into Republican criticism that the administration had been less than truthful about a violent assault on U.S. interests during an election year in which Obama previously seemed to have the upper hand in foreign policy.

"We weren't told they wanted more security. ... We did not know they wanted more security" in Benghazi, Biden said in the debate with Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan.

Until now, the Republicans had focused much of their fire about Libya on U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

Rice, speaking from talking points prepared by U.S. intelligence agencies, suggested a few days after the Benghazi events that the violence appeared to have been sparked by protests over the anti-Muslim video.

Bob Corker, a senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Friday the administration had to have known right away that the assault on the mission was carried out by militants and was not triggered by a protest.

"Within 24 hours of the incident the administration knew that this was an orchestrated terrorist attack, and they clearly were aware of the specific details, including requests for additional security, that have finally been made public this week," Corker said in a statement.

"With the vice president continuing this ruse with his comments last night, all Americans should ask what the administration is trying to hide," he added.

At the congressional hearing on Wednesday, two U.S. security officers described their frustration that their requests for more security resources in Libya were ignored in the weeks and months before the assault on the Benghazi mission.

An official from the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security acknowledged at the hearing that she had turned aside pleas for more security.

"I said personally I would not support it," the official, Charlene Lamb, said when asked about one particular request to extend deployment of a 16-person U.S. military team that left Libya in August, a month before the bloodshed in Benghazi.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Friday that Biden had been "speaking directly for himself and the president" with his comments about diplomatic security, not for the State Department, where Carney said such issues were "appropriately" handled.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also tried to smooth over the controversy, saying the administration was dealing with the best available information as it came in about the events in Benghazi.

"To this day - to this day - we do not have a complete picture. We do not have all the answers. No one in this administration has ever claimed otherwise," Clinton said at an appearance with visiting Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi.

Cordesman, the analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said he did not believe Biden misspoke. He said the top echelons of an administration did not know all details of security requests that came in from "lots of crisis countries."

"This is the vice president of the United States, and you are talking about a security chain coming from one embassy, one consulate structure, in a highly unstable country," Cordesman, a former intelligence expert at the Pentagon, said in a telephone interview.

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Andrew Quinn and Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/biden-rekindles-controversy-over-administrations-libya-statements-213815060.html

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Saturday 13 October 2012

Childcare: It?s about costly necessity not 'having it all,' study suggests

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's short maternity leave aside, childcare accessibility and affordability is, for hundreds of thousands of American moms, where the conversation about going back to work begins and not in a boardroom discussion of motherhood philosophy and "having it all."

By Stephanie Hanes,?Correspondent / October 12, 2012

Childcare is less about "having it all" than being forced into a difficult family budgeting choice, a new study suggests. A high school student returns to school Sept. 19, 2012 after a teachers' strike ended, thrilling parents who had to stay home from work to care for their kids, pay for alternative childcare or leave them with friends and relatives.

Reuters Photo/John Gress

Enlarge

Forget the Marissa Mayer controversy. Sure, the critics pounced when Yahoo!?s new, pregnant CEO let it be known that she did not intend to spend more than a week or two on?maternity leave. They worried that Ms. Mayer was setting a bad example ? that professionally driven women really couldn't take time out to be mom; that she was striking a blow to that ?having it all? ideal (wherever that came from); that she was doing a disservice to herself and her baby.

Skip to next paragraph Stephanie Hanes

Correspondent

Stephanie Hanes is the lead writer for Modern Parenthood and a longtime Monitor correspondent. She lives in Andover, Mass. with her husband, Christopher, her daughter, Madeline Thuli, a South Africa Labrador retriever, Karoo, and an imperialist cat named Kipling.